Wet Foot, Dry Foot
by FirstAid
Summary: Eric's paternity troubles are brought into the limelight...in more ways than one. R&R.
1. Shattered

Author's Note: It just came to me. Argh. I need to be studying, so I'm going to do that now. It's...different than the last story, but you all know me well enough by now to understand that it's going to be E/C. Because nothing else makes sense. So, read. Review. Eat some chocolate. Have a great day.

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"Wolfe!" Eric was up to his neck in pieces of metal, shards of glass…it all needed to be printed. "You busy, man?"

"No, not really, what's up?" Ryan figured he knew exactly what was up. Eric wanted help, but a few things were going to have to change first.

"I've gotta have all this stuff printed and analyzed by end of business or Bubba Jim Matthews walks." He wiped the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve and sighed. "Who names their kid 'Bubba,' anyway?"

"That's his real name?" Ryan was already snapping on gloves and organizing the pieces of glass by color. Sometimes his obsessive compulsive tendencies came in handy.

Three hours later the piles were significantly smaller, but it was slow going, and they still had nothing. No prints. No DNA. Nothing. Bubba Jim's life expectancy was about to significantly increase if they didn't find something soon.

"Damn it!" Eric threw his gloves across the room angrily. "It's got to be here. Something. Anything. All we need is a partial match to hold him overnight."

"You boys gonna be finished any time soon?" Calleigh poked her head in the doorway.

"Does it look like it?" Eric grumbled.

"Well, I was just wondering," She smiled at him, ignoring his bad attitude, sat down on the bench beside him. "If you two needed any help."

"Ah. Calleigh, you're a godsend." Ryan flirted with her clumsily, but still. He was cute.

"You finish up with that multi-round?" Eric appreciated her help, but his mind was a little too occupied to be bothered with pleasantries right now.

"What can I say?" Calleigh was oddly unphased by his bad mood. "I'm efficient!"

"What was it?" Ryan had heard the rumors, but wanted his information first hand.

"Quadrangle buckshot." She answered, but didn't look at him.

"Phew." Ryan exhaled. "Nice. Somebody knows what they're doing."

They worked in relative silence for almost an hour before Eric finally smiled again. "Guys." He motioned to his companions. "Guys, I've got it. Check it out." He held up a freshly dusted shard of glass with a pair of forceps.

Calleigh's attention wasn't on the glass, though, it was on Eric. His smug smirk was back – almost like old times. It had been a while since she'd seen that look on his face, and the truth was, she'd missed it. Work just wasn't as fun without his smiling face or his amusing quips. Something had been bothering him recently, but she had no idea what it was. He wasn't looking to tell her, either, and she tried not to feel the sting of that particular fact.

"Lift it and run it." She suggested, as if he didn't know the protocol already.

"Yeah." He took the materials she held out to him and flashed her his knee-weakening grin. "Thanks."

"It's what I do." She teased, earning her a soft chuckle as well as a fleeting smile.

He photographed it, uploaded the image, and entered it into the system, hitting 'search,' and sitting back while the program worked its magic. Ryan and Calleigh were still hard at work, just in case, and he took a moment to observe his companions. Ryan had grown up a lot since he'd joined the team. The young man he'd once resented, seen as a poor replacement for his best friend had, in fact, become a relatively good friend of his. Also, he'd really grown into a good CSI, and Eric respected the work he'd put into mastering his trade.

That brought him to Calleigh. Her head was down and she was concentrating hard on the pile of evidence in front of her. Watching Calleigh was kind of a hobby of Eric's. Had been for a while. Sometimes he wondered if she ever knew he watched her, but if she did, at least she had the grace to pretend like she didn't notice. She was graceful. Always graceful. Her movements were fluid, one easily flowing into the next. She made everything look effortless.

The computer beeped a few times as it completed comparing the sample against prints in the database. "We've got a match. One Bubba Jim Matthews. Sorry, Bubba. You're going to be enjoying a ten by ten cell for the next twenty-five to life." Eric said dryly, not actually apologetic at all. There were very few things in Eric Delko's life that he had absolutely no patience for at all. Men who beat their wives. Rapists. Child molesters. These all made the top of Eric's "not fit for human interaction" list. And Bubba Jim met all three wickets, so would be receiving no sympathy from Eric. None.

"Looks like my work here is done!" Calleigh said cheerfully as she stood up. "You need anything else?"

"Nah. I've got it. Thanks." Eric was a little distracted, and didn't give her his full attention. Calleigh noticed this, and was confused by it. He usually looked her straight in the eye when he spoke to her. She hesitated outside the door for Ryan to leave, then turned to go back into the lab, but she paused in the doorway. Eric was not okay. Hadn't been for a while, but this was bad. He was just sitting, staring into space.

"Eric." She said softly, almost whispering. He didn't seem to hear her, so she inched toward him. His back was to her, but she had a good enough view of the side of his face to see the tear that was slowly making its way down to his chin. "Eric." She whispered, and placed her hand on his shoulder, drawing her hand back when he jumped out of the chair, fists up and ready for a fight.

"Easy there, cowboy." She tried to calm him, but her heart was pounding in her chest. "It's just me."

"Sorry." He sank into the just-abandoned chair and buried his face in his hands.

"Eric." She squatted down in front of him and placed a hand on his knee. "Tell me what's going on. Please."

"Nothing." He couldn't get her involved. He couldn't risk her safety, too.

"Eric." She knew him better than that.

He was about to say something when his cell phone rang.

He sent an apologetic look in Calleigh's direction as he answered it. "Delko."

She watched as his face fell, and felt her heart contract along with it.

"H., you can't be serious."

She waited a moment more.

"I'll be right there." He wiped his hands on his jeans and stood up. "Sorry, Cal. I've gotta go. H. needs me on translator duty."

"Russian?" She guessed. Half of Miami-Dade PD spoke Spanish, so that couldn't be it.

"Nope." He looked pissed about it, too.

"Why?" She followed him out to the Hummer, curious about the new gig and Horatio's mysterious phone call.

"Didn't say." Eric was pissed. "Just told me to get there ASAP." He threw his kit in the trunk and slammed it shut. "Do you need something?" He hated to be rude, but the less time he spent around her the better. It could be detrimental to her safety, and she had a tendency to…turn his brain to mush.

"I just want to make sure you're okay." She put her hand on his forearm before he shut the door. "Are you? Okay?"

"I'm fine." It was a little cross, but he was in no mood for games. "I've gotta go."

"Sure." She removed her hand and watched as he shut the door a little too harshly and sped out of the parking lot. "Sure you are."

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A/N: Chapter one...done. More to come. Maybe. That's kind of up to y'all. Yes, I'm from the south. What about it. English is the only language I know of without an accepted, distinctive form of second person plural. Unless, of course, you happen to be located south of the Mason-Dixon line.


	2. Journey

Author's Note: Apparently I'm going to study tomorrow. Not today. A few people reviewed, so here's chapter two. The chapters might be a bit shorter on this one due to time constraints...school and all that. Enjoy. Oh, yeah. And review.

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It took more than two hours for Eric to arrive at Key Colony Beach. The pier was crawling with agents wearing initials when he got there. DEA. FBI. MDPD. INS. Apparently there was a bit of a party going on, and he had just been given a personal invitation. Eric sat in the Hummer for a few minutes pulling himself together before he exited the vehicle.

"Miami-Dade Police." He flashed his badge at the uniform and tried to slide under the yellow police tape.

"Sorry, sir." The kid didn't even look old enough to be out of high school, let alone carrying a firearm. "But you can't go over there."

"I got a call out to this exact location." Eric tried not to be irritated with the kid. He was just trying to do his job. "I'm a CSI with Miami-Dade, man. My boss called me out here; I'm just here to do my job."

The uniform looked nervous, and Eric felt sorry for him.

"Look, Officer…Lane." He smile pitifully at the kid. "I understand you were given your orders, but I was, too. I just need…"

"Mr. Delko." Horatio sauntered up to him slowly. "Is there a problem?"

"I was just talking to Officer Lane here about letting me cross the tape, H." It was a gentle way of saying it, and it probably wouldn't get the officer in trouble.

"Is he with you, sir?"

"He is, Officer."

"Sorry, sir." Officer Lane blushed and looked like he was about to cry.

"No worries, man." Eric fist bumped him, hoping that would be enough 'man language' to let the kid know he wasn't in trouble. Judging by the shiny wedding band on uniform's finger, he was a newlywed, and could ill afford to be in hot water at work.

"You won't be needing that kit, Eric." Horatio had an irritating habit of not looking at him when he was speaking. It grated on Eric's nerves.

"So why am I here, then?" He figured it wasn't a great idea to antagonize his boss, but he'd been having a bad…month. "If I'm not here to work, what is all this about?"

"It's about, Mr. Delko." Horatio paused and removed his sunglasses. Eric had to concentrate on not rolling his eyes. "Saving the children."

"Saving the children?" Confused? Yes. "H., what's going on here? You said you needed my language abilities. Why mine? At least half the people here probably speak Spanish as well as I do."

"Yes, but not everyone was specifically requested by a group of minors too traumatized to speak to anyone else."

"Me?" He didn't believe it. "Someone asked for me? Specifically."

"Not so much asked as pleaded, Mr. Delko." He handed Eric a piece of water-stained paper. "Read this."

"What's this?" He held it between two fingers and stared at Horatio with a confused look on his handsome face. "Dear John letter? Suicide note?"

"Not exactly."

Eric skimmed the note and looked back at his boss. "And? What's going on here? Why all the feds?"

"A raft landed today on this beach."

"From Cuba." Eric was starting to understand.

"That is correct." Horatio paused again. "There were two children on that raft, and they are missing now."

"How does this affect me?"

"They were carrying that before they disappeared."

"You said they were traumatized."

"I imagine they are." Horatio was getting impatient. "New country. New language. No idea where they are. Wouldn't you be traumatized?"

"Sure, H." Eric was on the verge of a meltdown. "So why am I here."

"Did you read that?" He gestured to the paper in Eric's hand.

"Parts of it."

"Read the whole thing. Carefully."

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R/R


	3. Eruption

Author's Note: The plot bunnies highjacked my chapter. It does tie in...eventually. I promise. I always tie thing up in neat little bows - even if real life isn't quite that tidy. So...someone said there needed to be more substance/words/whatever. Here you go. Just to warn you, I brought out the angst fairy this time. She doesn't leave spare change, though, just...well, you'll see. R/R.

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"Damn it." Eric sighed and flipped the clock around backwards so the bright red display wouldn't keep staring at him so arrogantly. It was probably a little silly to anthropomorphize a clock, but he was feeling a little sleep deprived and more than a little stressed, so he let it go. The rhythmic thumping from next door was a dead giveaway as to what his neighbors were up to tonight, and if history was any indication, they wouldn't be quieting down any time soon. Apparently they were none too shy about telling the world, either. Rolling over in a huff, he kicked the blankets off and stood, feet sticking faintly to the dirty carpet floor.

"Guess I'm not sleeping tonight." He said aloud to no one in particular as he crossed the room and grabbed a warm beer from the table. Turning on the light so he at least wasn't drinking alone and in the dark, he sank heavily into one of the uncomfortable chairs and wrinkled his nose at the unpleasant aroma that greeted him as air whooshed out of the cushions. Glancing around, he surveyed the contents of the crappy room. Deluca Motel. Bed. Dresser. Nightstand. Three suitcases. Television. Minifridge. Microwave. Bathroom that was probably breeding a host of incurable, exotic diseases on the floor. When had his life come to this? Picking up the copy of a photo he stared blankly at the face smiling back at him. It was him, or at least, it had been. His mother took the picture last Thanksgiving. Before. Before he knew who he was. Before he knew what he was. Before he'd lost…everything. He barely recognized the man smiling at him anymore. Hadn't seen him in the mirror for a while now. Crumpling the picture in one fist he tossed it across the room. That man was dead to him. Didn't exist. Maybe he never had.

He finished his beer and popped open another one. Maybe he could drink himself to sleep. Probably not, but he could try. Didn't work last night. Or the night before that. What is it they say about insanity again? Do the same thing over and over and expect different results. He wandered what this said about his state of mind, but he didn't really care all that much. He was too far gone to worry about minutia like mental health tonight. No, tonight he needed sleep. He needed…he didn't know what he needed. To go back in time. To change the past. To make things NOT happen. To make him not happen.

His gaze settled on the dull gleam of the grip of his service pistol. Trusty. Reliable. As long as you take care of it. If you don't then you end up dead. Like Speed. Eric wasn't sure which one of the two was worse off at the moment. Was decay worse than torment? Probably. Hail Mary. Catholic guilt pushed up some remorse for that thought just as quickly as it crossed his mind. Can't be jealous of your dead friend. Can't wish you were there with him…instead of him…in a coffin. The cool metal felt rough against his palm. Rough, but comforting. The easy weight of it. Well balanced. Loaded. Aiming at nothing he lined up the sights, then lowered it. It could be that easy. Take control. Take back control. One. Two.

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Calleigh had been sitting in her car for almost forty minutes now, just staring out the windshield. Rain beat down on the roof with sharp, metallic clicks that ordinarily would have lulled her into sleep. Today, however, she was sharply awake and aware. Worried about Eric, she'd waited at the lab for him to return until almost eight o'clock. He'd been so upset recently, so off-center. She didn't quite know what to make of it. Eric wasn't usually moody or brooding. Something was amiss, he was hiding something, and it bothered her. It was almost midnight now, and the light was on in his motel room. Hadn't been when she'd arrived, but he'd flicked the switch on seventeen minutes ago. At least now she didn't have to worry about waking him up.

Shutting the car door quietly she ducked her head and dashed through the puddles to his door. Careening to a halt she waited, held her breath and listened. No sounds. Not from his room, anyway. A car honked as it passed. In the distance a siren rang out. Cars whizzed past. And the rain fell steadily down. If only.

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Eric tensed at the first knock, flicked off the safety, raised his firearm, and pointed it toward the door. The second knock urged him up from his chair. Bent at the knees, he shuffled to the window, easing the corner of the blinds up with the barrel just enough to see outside. He knew better than to look through the peep hole. People expect you to look there. Prepare for it. Better to look through the window. The far corner of the window. A bullet can easily penetrate a wall, a door. The trick to living is to not be standing where you're supposed to be. The irony of it almost made him smile. Trying to avoid the bullets now. Trying to live. At least it's on his terms.

Calleigh shifted from one foot to the other. She still hadn't heard a sound, no signs of life. She jumped as the door opened swiftly and she was jerked inside.

"Calleigh." Eric reached out and grasped her upper arm, yanking her inside the motel room none too gently. He released her, shut the door, and resumed his watch out the far side of the window.

She took advantage of his vigil to glance around her, cataloguing what she saw. How long had he been living like this? She noticed the empty beer cans. Those hadn't been there a few days ago. It was messier now.

Satisfied that she wasn't followed…closely…he dropped the edge of the blind and turned to face her, rubbing his face with one hand. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"I'll be at work tomorrow morning."

"It couldn't wait."

"You shouldn't be here." He was pacing now. Five steps. Pivot. Five steps back. Pivot.

"You shouldn't, either." She said pointedly, hoping he'd understand her real meaning.

"What do you want?" It was too late and he was too tired for pleasantries. No good could come from the conversation he figured she wanted to have.

"I want you to tell me what's going on." At least she was direct. He could expect that from Calleigh. Rely on it. Unless they were talking about her, of course.

"I was sleeping." He lied, but hoped she didn't know it.

"You've been up for a while." She countered.

Busted. "I was about to sleep."

"Bullshit." She noted warily that he hadn't put down the gun. He wasn't pointing it at anything, just carrying it. Fidgeting with it. Finger graciously far away from the trigger, but the safety was off. She could see that much plain as day.

"You gonna put that down?" She raised her eyebrow at him and watched as he secured the pistol and slid it into the holster.

"Eric." She tried to get his attention, but he either didn't hear her or he ignored her. He'd been doing a lot of that lately.

Crossing the room, she stood in his way, forcing him to either stop or walk around her. "Eric." She put her hands on his arms. "Talk to me."

"Go home, Calleigh." He sounded tired. Or fed up. She couldn't tell.

"No."

"No?" It was Eric's turn to eye her now. "This is my room." He stated flatly.

"And I'm in it." She shrugged, trying desperately to sound less worried than she actually was. "And I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on."

"Doesn't concern you." He stepped around her and resumed pacing…in a different spot.

"Actually it does." She stood rooted to the sticky floor. "I'm very concerned."

"Not your business." He huffed, voice rising a decibel or two in frustration. "So you can go now."

Calleigh took a step back and stared at him for a split second. Glancing around her, she decided that the bed was probably the cleanest place to sit, so she settled herself on the edge of the mattress and tried to make herself look much more at ease than she really felt. "I'm not going anywhere. So unless you want to sleep in that chair," She nodded to the smelly piece of furniture by the table. "I suggest you start talking."

"I'm not sleeping in the chair." He grumbled angrily. "I paid for this room."

"Well, I'm certainly not sleeping in it, so I recommend you talk. Now." She hated to sound that demanding, but pleading hadn't gotten her anywhere. Waiting had been equally ineffectual. Maybe this would work. She had to try.

Eric said nothing, but stopped pacing long enough to look out the window again.

"Who are you hiding from?" She'd be lying if she said she hadn't noticed the field explosives kit dumped unceremoniously on the dresser. "Who's after you?"

"Doesn't concern…"

"Yes, Eric. It does. It concerns me, okay? I'm concerned." Her voice rose considerably, and her tempo increased with each sentence. "I'm worried about you, is that such a bad thing? What are you doing here? Why are you living here? Why are people shooting at you, Eric? I need some answers! You need to talk to me!"

Eric faced her fully, staring her down with a look that made little shivers shoot up and down her spine. That was not a look she had ever seen on Eric Delko's face. Never.

"I need to talk to you?" He hissed. "I need to? No, I don't!" He was beyond angry now. Maybe it was the stress. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe he just knew he could. "I don't owe you anything, Duquesne. And I don't have to talk to you!"

At the sound of her last name spat from his mouth like vinegar she staggered backward a step. He might as well have slapped her, because this definitely hurt more.

"Talk to me, or don't bother showing up to work tomorrow." She challenged, squaring off with him defensively. It was a low blow to pull the rank card…especially to pull it over the friendship card, but he was very obviously in no shape to work.

"You're not my boss." He shouted back, ignoring the way his neighbors beat against the wall to quiet him down. Like they'd shown any such consideration to his need for quiet anyway. "You can't just suspend me."

"Horatio will if I tell him to." She fired back.

"Got him wrapped around your little finger, do you?" That was just wrong, and he knew it. Regretted saying it the moment the words tumbled off his tongue. That was almost unforgiveable.

She stared at him for a second before responding. This was a new Eric. This was not the man she knew. The man she trusted. The man she thought of as her closest friend. He scared her a little, and she hated admitting that to herself. It meant she trusted him a little less, and for all his faults, she'd never had any reason to doubt him before. Now she was doubting herself as well, and she hated him just a little bit for forcing her to do it.

They stared each other down, neither one willing to back down, but praying they each had the courage to do so anyway. It was Calleigh who softened first, much to Eric's surprise. In all the years he'd known her, she'd never been the one to give into a fight like this one. And there it was. A fight. They were fighting, and he was yelling at his best friend. His…he wasn't sure what Calleigh was to him anymore.

"Why won't you talk to me?" She almost whispered it, afraid to hear the truth because she figured she could guess. _"Because I won't talk to you."_

"Why should I?" He seethed. "You don't talk to me!"

She remained silent and bit the inside of her cheek. At least she was on the money. She could still predict his responses. He hadn't drifted that far away from her. Or she away from him. The fact comforted her somewhat, odd as it sounded.

"So you're punishing me?" She challenged softly, head down.

Eric heard her question and the thinly veiled meaning behind it. Rubbing his hand down his thigh, he turned away from her. The look on his face was too much for him to take. He hadn't meant to take her down with him.

"Get out." He pointed to the door. "Just get out."

He thought he heard a sharp breath, then silence. Slowly, Calleigh rose to her feet, eyes glistening with unshed tears, and walked to the door.

"I just…" She turned, but faltered at the look on his face, opened the door and walked into the rain.

He slammed the door, but softly, and leaned against it. He knew better. His mama raised him better than this. It was dark. Raining. Someone might be watching him, watching her. As angry as he was, he didn't want anything to happen to her. Her blood on his hands. That would be too much to take. Grabbing the kit and his keys he swung the door open and hollered, "Calleigh. Wait."

She halted, but didn't turn to face him as he jogged to catch up with her. The rain fell harder now, soaking her to the bone.

"Give me a second." He swiped her door handles, wheel wells. That would be the last straw. Something happening to Calleigh. Because of him. That would be too much to handle. At least he could make sure she was safe. "You shouldn't come here." He admonished quietly without meeting her gaze. If he didn't look at her face, he couldn't see if she was crying or not. He couldn't see if he'd hurt her that much. It was better than the alternative.

"Give me one good reason why." She whispered; voice almost drowned in the downpour.

"It's not safe." He whispered back. "It's too risky."

"Why?"

"Calleigh, go home."

"I don't want to." She admitted, searching for his eyes and finding them closed. "I want…I need to know you're okay…you're safe." It was a cop-out, but it was close to the whole truth.

"I'm fine." He persisted. "Go home."

"You're not fine, Eric!" She spoke out loud this time, surprising herself at the strength of her own voice. "You're not fine, and don't tell me you are! You're drinking. You're staying at this flea-bag of a motel. People are shooting at you! You're not fine. You're not safe! And I need to know why! I need to know why you're shutting me out! I need to know where my best friend went!" She let out a strangled cry as she uttered the last sentence, praying to whatever deity might exist and be listening that he open up to her. Talk to her. Anything.

"I can't get you involved." He gripped her shoulders tightly begging her to understand.

"I'm already involved." Her tears were washed away by the raindrops splashing on her face. "So please, I'm begging you. Talk to me."

That scared him. More than the bullets. More than the tail. The threats. That's what got to him. Calleigh. Begging him. She didn't beg. She never groveled. But here she was, crying in the rain…for him. "Come inside." He whispered, taking her arm gently and leading her back into his room. It was gross and filthy and it smelled bad, but at least it was dry.

"Here." He handed her a towel after he locked the door. "Try to dry off a little."

She absently squeezed the moisture out of her hair, eyes locked on his the entire time. There was no light there anymore. No smile. Nothing. Just dull, lifeless. Like he was gone already.

"Here." He handed her a jacket to put on over her sweatshirt. "You're gonna catch a cold."

"I'll get it all wet." She held it out for him to take it back.

Grabbing the garment, he stepped behind her and draped it over her shoulders. "It'll dry."

She said nothing, but didn't shrug the coat off, either. She was cold, and he wasn't yelling at her anymore. Maybe this could work after all. Maybe.

Not a word was spoken for almost ten minutes. Calleigh watched the time pass on the bedside clock. One. Two.

It was Eric who broke the silence this time. Softened a little.

"Why should I talk to you?" He meant it to sound genuine, but it came out a little too piercingly.

"Because I'm your friend." She answered simply. "Because I care."

"Since when has that ever been enough for you?"

She winced, knowing it was coming. He was right. She was a hypocrite. She always told him he could talk to her about anything, come to her with anything. But she never reciprocated. She should have seen this coming. Well, she had seen it coming, but she'd been powerless to stop it. She tried. God help her, she'd tried. She wanted to talk to him. Open up to him. Needed to. But she didn't know how.

"Eric." She tried. And failed. She knew what he wanted. She knew what he was referring to. And still, she couldn't do it. Couldn't let go. Let herself go. Trust…herself.

"And there it is." He huffed and shook his head. "The great Calleigh Duquesne. A tower unto herself."

"That's not fair." She said quietly.

"Life's not fair." He returned without missing a beat. He'd waited too long to play games with her. If life was fair he wouldn't be here. She wouldn't be here. None of this would have ever happened. Then again, maybe he was getting exactly what he deserved. Maybe the sins of the father really were visited upon the next generation. What did that say about him? What did it say aobut his "father?"

"I'm trying to be supportive, Eric." Calleigh reached her hand out to touch him, but thought better of it. "I'm trying to be here for you. Will you just let me?"

"Like you let me?" Arguing in circles was better than nothing.

"Eric…"

"I tried, too, you know." He knew this was mean. Knew she didn't want to talk about it. Think about it. It'd been so long. "I NEEDED to be there for you, but you didn't want that. Couldn't let anyone do anything for you. You're Calleigh Duquesne. You don't need anyone."

She shut her eyes tight and clenched her jaw to keep from crying. His admission that day in the parking lot made her heart clench every time she thought about it. The raw emotion in his voice. The clarity she'd seen in his eyes. Where was that clarity now?

He continued talking, his voice low and venomous. "Yeah, you let me drive you home. And that was it. You're fine. You're always fine. Just want to be alone. Congratulations, Calleigh." He laughed, but it lacked mirth. "You got your wish. Or did you just want Jake to comfort you instead of me?"

Jake. She'd forgotten about Jake. He was supposed to call her tonight, and they were going to 'talk.' Have THE talk. Whatever. This was more important. Her phone was in the car anyway, forgotten on the passenger seat. At least it wouldn't ring and interrupt anything, not that she'd mind the intrusion at this point.

She kept her eyes closed and took a deep, steadying breath. "Did it ever occur to you that you DID do something?" She opened her eyes slowly and continued. "That you gave me more comfort on that drive home than I got before…or since?"

"Oh, I'm sure Jake was glad to keep you company." He sneered at her.

"Is that what this is about?" She hit her forehead with the heel of her hand. "Jake! You're still mad about Jake!"

He wasn't. He had been, but there were so many other things for him to be angry about. Looking at her, he drew back to unleash, but could find no more energy. She was crying. Silently, but all the same. Tears streamed down her face, mingled with droplets of water that dripped from her hair as they ran together down her cheeks. He'd made her cry. Twice in one night. He wasn't sure he cared, though, so he kept going.

"Jake!" He admitted. "And you. You shut me out, too, you know!"

"You've dealt with enough!" She choked out. "You didn't need all my stuff, too."

The truth. The dirty, ugly truth. She was still trying to protect him. "I'm not fragile, Calleigh!" He shouted. "When are you going to stop treating me like I'll break if something doesn't go my way?"

"You have your own burdens!" She hated the way it sounded, but she plunged ahead regardless. "You don't need mine, too. Not after…"

"Not after what, Calleigh?" He sneered. "Go ahead and say it."

"Not after you got shot." Her eyes cut him to the core when she finally brought her head up to gaze upon his face. "Not after that. My problems aren't as big as that." Big, fat tears spilled from her eyes one after the other and trailed down her face. "I promised…if you were okay…I wouldn't burden you."

"Promised who?" He took a step closer. "Promised who, Cal?"

"Anyone who was listening." She was sobbing now, remembering the despair she'd felt sitting in that cold, sterile plastic chair at the hospital. Watching him breath, but feeling him slip away from her at the same time. "Anyone who cared."

"Calleigh." He reached out to her, but stopped just short of touching her. "Calleigh, I'm sorry." The emotion dripped from those three words. He was sorry. For everything.

"No, I am." She shook her head slowly from side to side. "You're right." She sucked her lips between her teeth for a minute and made one last attempt to not break down in front of him. "You're right about everything."

"Calleigh."

She hadn't meant for this to happen. She'd come here to talk about him, and here she was bawling like an infant.

"Calleigh, I'm so sorry." He reached out for her hesitantly, shocked when she wrapped her arms around him and clung as if to a life raft. "Calleigh." He breathed softly, brushing her wet hair from her face. Calleigh didn't cry. Calleigh didn't cling. But this woman did. Cry and cling and clutch him to her tightly. "I'm sorry." He soothed, but he wondered which part he was apologizing for. Fighting? Yelling? Shutting her out? Opening old wounds? All of it, he imagined, would require an apology.

"You've never talked about it." He peeled her hair off her neck. "At least not to me."

She trembled in his arms as she said it, and he held her against him. "I've never talked about it with anyone." She admitted, images springing unbidden behind her closed eyes. Chloroform. Cigars. Eyes. She could still smell him. Feel him. Almost a year had passed, and she still wasn't okay. It was ironic to her that this was the closest she'd felt to okay since then. Since that day. Since she'd been taken on the street and forced to use her skills for criminals. Since she'd been threatened with…she shook her head and pulled away from him, but he held on this time. She knew she'd have to do the same. Here. In this grungy motel room. She'd have to hang on to him the only way she knew how or she'd lose him forever.

"I still dream about it." She turned her face to the side and pressed her cheek into his chest. "I hear his voice in my sleep."

Eric didn't say anything for a moment, and she wasn't sure he'd heard her. Maybe she hadn't spoken it out loud.

"Tell me." He finally whispered. "Tell me about it."

She shuddered, and gripped him ever tighter, surprising him with her strength.

"I tried not to breath." She said softly. "I really did. It all happened so fast." She paused and took a deep breath. "Then there was this room and a voice. There were two of them."

Eric looked around the room for…something. If he sat down, he'd have to release her at least a little, and he wasn't ready to do that just yet. They could lay down, and he wouldn't have to let go, but she'd never agree to it, never let her guard down that much.

"What happened?" He gently prodded, feeling there was something she wasn't telling him. Something else kept her up at night. Haunted her dreams.

"The older one, the one in charge," She couldn't bring herself to say his name…even after all these months. It would be like acknowledging that he was human. That another person could do this to her. Make her question herself like this. It would be like giving in. "He sent the younger one out to the store." She drew in a shaky breath, and Eric steeled himself against what he feared was to come. "And he said we should use the time to get to know each other better."

Eric bit back the bile that rose in his throat at the thought of what that meant. He'd read the arrest reports, knew the rap sheet. He'd prayed endlessly that this wouldn't happen. That she'd be spared. Maybe his prayers had gone unanswered. Didn't they all?

"What happened, Calleigh?." He pleaded. "Please."

"I said I'd rather die than let him touch me." She was shaking still, but not as much, and he took that as a good sign. "And then I hit him."

Eric smiled involuntarily at that; proud of her for standing up for herself. He'd expected nothing less.

"He hit me or something." She'd replayed it over and over in her head. Day and night. She tried again and again to figure out how it happened. How she'd ended up on the ground. "And I fell and he kicked me." Her breath hitched in her throat, much as it had when the blow was delivered. "And all I could see were his eyes. He was on top of me." She let out the breath finally, and Eric discovered he was still holding his. "And he asked me if I had any last words. He had his gun to my head, and…oh, God." She choked again, and swallowed as Eric rubbed the back of her neck softly.

"Did he touch you?" He wasn't sure he wanted to know. The truth was almost worse than he'd expected so far, and he wasn't sure how he'd react to any more.

"No." She whispered quietly, almost ashamed of her reaction to what she tried to convince herself was such a non-event.

"Ever?"

"No."

Thank God for that. He sent a silent prayer of thanks to the heavens. Maybe some prayers were answered after all.

"Is that what you dream about?" He said it softly, soothingly. He used the voice his therapist used when they talked about his own nightmares.

"Yeah."

And there it was. The truth. The ugly, awful truth. This is what she didn't want to tell him. What she'd never told Jake. What she'd never even told the mandatory department shrink they'd required her to see. She was still scared.

"I didn't push you away on purpose."

He shook himself out of the reverie and listened as she continued on.

"I wanted to tell you, I really did." She hiccupped a little, and he ran his hand down her back. "I just…didn't know how."

That was a sentiment he could relate to. He didn't respond; he didn't know how. He lacked the words to comfort her, and hated himself for the inadequacy. She deserved so much better. So much more. And this was all he had to offer.

"I didn't come here to cry on your shoulder." Defenses up already. Calleigh tried to pull away. "I wanted to make sure..." She suddenly didn't have the words...or the energy to form them. Who knows?

"I don't know how to say it, either." He admitted quietly, picking up on her attempt to change the subject, and for the first time that evening – not resenting her for it.

"Then don't." She hugged him tightly to her, feeling stronger now. More sure of herself. "Just come with me. You don't have to talk right now."

"I can't get you involved in this." His protests sounded more than a little hypocritical after she'd just finished baring her soul to him. There would be no sugar-coating this one. "I can't risk you getting hurt." Not again. Not after…

"What about you?" She wondered aloud. "What about if you get hurt?"

"I'll be fine." He assured her softly, not believing a word of it himself.

"Then why are you here?"

"A precaution, that's all."

"Against what?" Even emotional and crying, let it never be said that Calleigh Duquesne was anything but rational.

He didn't respond again, so she pushed on. "Stay with me. At my house."

"Calleigh, it's too dangerous."

"Two pairs of eyes are better than one." She had a point. "And my place is cleaner. And free." Maybe the financial angle would work; nothing else had. She pushed herself fully out of his embrace and forced him to meet her gaze. "Let me do what I wouldn't let you do. Let me help you. Please."

He was no match for her. He had no defense against her. She was his checkmate. His capture. His Deep Blue. "It's dangerous." He struggled, knowing he'd lost.

"I don't care." Her eyes softened as they met his. "Let me be your friend again."

"Okay." He nodded in defeat. It felt good to lose this time. This time, it didn't hurt.

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R/R. I'm going to study now. Some more. I was oddly productive today, which is why you all got chapter three. Kisses.


	4. Storm

Author's Note: Guess who was productive today, too? It's me. You don't really have to guess. Thank you all SO MUCH for the incredibly encouraging reviews. You all said such nice things; I actually teared up a little. Ask anyone, that's hard to make me do. This is actually only half the chapter, but I'm tired, and I want to study a little more. I have a test on the origins, insertion, innervations, and actions of every muscle in the lower extremity to study for. Rote memorization, anyone? Pass. I hate that method of learning. It's so inefficient, but it's a necessary evil. Also have to study for a biochem exam. And a physiology exam. And...the list just goes on and on. So, I'll shut up and go study, and you read and review. The point was, this is only half the chapter, so I'll finish and update as soon as I can. Have a lovely day, everyone.

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Calleigh grinned at Eric shyly as he moved to stuff his belongings into bags. Her heart was springing around her chest cavity and a flock of butterflies had apparently just migrated into her stomach, because she suddenly found herself frighteningly nervous. She wasn't sure what to do now, what to make of it. She hadn't exactly planned this far ahead, hadn't expected him to agree. She'd prepared herself for a fight; and he hadn't disappointed in the least. But, events of the evening had taken a surprising and unsettling turn, and now she wasn't at all sure she as ready to deal with it. Putting all that aside she reminded herself why she was here. What she was doing this for. Eric. She was doing this for Eric. To keep him safe. To help him out. For Eric. If she was really honest with herself, then she would admit that she was doing it for herself, too. Having him with her, safe and warm and real and alive. Breathing and talking and fighting even. It was just as much for her as anyone else.

One suitcase full, he smooshed it down forcefully and zipped it closed quickly, moving on to the next one. Calleigh moved quietly to the bathroom, gathering up his shampoo, shower gel, toothbrush. She smiled when her gaze fell upon a single bottle of cologne. The only one he'd brought with him. Narcisco Rodriguez for Him. A Christmas gift from her a few years ago. The simpler times. More innocent. She missed those times. Removing the lid, she sniffed at the bottle, closed her eyes, and allowed herself to float on the scent back in time. It was with a self-satisfied smirk that she recapped the bottle, smug in the knowledge that he'd chosen to only bring the one she purchased for him. She'd spent hours at the counter with a haughty sales woman that Christmas season smelling option after option, then resetting her senses with the sharp, acidic aroma of coffee beans. He rarely wore it work; it was light, but it could still overpower and cover something important at a crime scene. Still, it warmed her that he'd grabbed it, secured it with him in this hellhole of a motel.

"Where should I put these?" She exited the grimy bathroom arms laden with bottles.

"Here." He moved quickly to unburden her. "I can do that. You don't have to do this."

"I don't mind." She refused to relinquish her load, and Eric stopped for a moment by what he saw. Her face was open and honest, and Eric couldn't help but believe her. She didn't mind. She was there for him. Wanted to be.

"Here." He opened a gym bag and indicated for her to drop the items inside. "Thank you." He was a little embarrassed in all honesty, that she was here – seeing him like this. She was always so poised. So coiffed. So consummately professional and put-together. He looked at the remnants of his life and wondered at its dissimilarity from hers. Compared to Calleigh, it looked like Hurricane Andrew had just leveled his life and FEMA had yet to come in and clean up the mess. Then again, maybe Calleigh was his FEMA. Maybe she could clean it up. Put the pieces back together. Put him back together.

"I'm going to take these out to the car." He glanced up in surprise and almost laughed at the sight. Calleigh had his gym bag slung across her torso, one hand pulling a wheeled suitcase, the other struggling to hold his suits and dress clothes up off the filthy carpet.

He smiled despite himself, and tried not to laugh, though his efforts were in vain.

"Something funny?" She wasn't actually upset, and the laughter just under her words betrayed her mirth. She hadn't seen him smile in so long. Really smile - with his eyes dancing and glittering in the light. She'd missed that, too. So many things about their relationship had changed. Grown cold and complacent. She'd feared it had died, but clearly that was not the case. The knowledge excited her; made something dance within.

Eric cocked his head to the side and took the sight of her in once more, shoulders burdened with luggage, soaking wet and dripping water on the floor below. "Just you." He hadn't laughed in days, and it felt good.

"What about me?"

"You're all wet." He had a knack for pointing out the obvious. "You just look so…bedraggled." It was the best adjective he could muster. "It's cute."

"I look like a drowned rat." She countered, having already been treated to her reflection in the dirty bathroom mirror. Perhaps the dirt and smudges softened her reflection, she'd mused. Improved on it somehow. Doubtful. And now he was teasing her about it. "And that's cute?"

"Yeah." He admitted. "It is." He never saw her like this, so casual and undone. Her jeans and hooded sweatshirt made her look younger than her thirty four years, and the rain had long since washed away the remains of her makeup, leaving her refreshingly barefaced and honest. To Eric, she'd never looked more beautiful.

"You need to have your eyes examined." She'd missed this, the easy joking, the harmless flirting, the banter between them. This is what had been so painfully absent from her life for so long.

Eric knew better than laugh out loud or refuse to let her try, but maybe logic could benefit him here. "How are you going to open the trunk?" Both of her hands were full.

"Got it covered." She beamed at him jovially, barely waving her hanger-covered hand, proudly displaying her keys with the automatic clicker poised and ready.

"I'll test it again." He abandoned packing and snatched the explosives kit.

"Don't bother." She shook her head as she struggled with the door knob. "I'm willing to risk it."

"I'm not." Clasping his hand over hers on the knob, he squeezed gently and twisted, opening the door. Her eyes met his, and her protests died unspoken. He was unwilling to risk her life for his, and the realization caused the air to abandon her lungs in a slow swish.

Nodding her assent, she allowed him to hold the door for her, even let him remove the garment-laden hangers from her hand, and waited just outside for him to close up properly.

"Wait here." He instructed. "I'll open the trunk, then you come on out." There was no reason for her to get even more wet standing in the rain waiting on him to test and unlock the car.

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Calleigh backed out the parking space and waited with baited breath until the headlights from Eric's vehicle blinded her in the rearview mirror. The rain magnified the glare in the windows, making her blink and her eyes water as it burned her retinas. Slowly easing her car forward through the wind and puddles, she hesitated, looking behind her, watching as his car inched forward and matched her speed. Satisfied that he really was going to follow her home, she accelerated, turned onto the highway, and led the caravan of two carefully to her home in Bal Harbour.

When Calleigh first moved to the Miami area nearly ten years ago, she'd rented an apartment in a slightly…rougher neighborhood. She'd searched and saved for three years for the perfect place. The perfect refuge from the world. From her past. From her life. The first place she'd ever lived in and truly felt safe. Protected. Alive. The simple bungalow suited her perfectly. It erupted light and warmth inside, covered her in its balmy glow, and soothed her world-weary nerves. At the end of the day, she never ceased to look forward to stepping inside the front door, shutting it smartly behind her, and allowing the peace within to seep into her bones. It was smallish, but it suited her. Cozy, she had discovered quickly, was realtor-speak for small, but the first time she'd stepped inside this 'cozy' cottage she knew she was home at last. Maybe Eric could absorb some of the tranquility and serenity she found within its protective walls.

The wind velocity had increased, and sharp gusts blew angrily against Calleigh's car. Struggling to keep her car in one lane, she bit her lip and concentrated on the yellow line in front of her. _"Look for it, aim for it."_ She repeated again and again. Louisiana rain storms were bad, real toad stranglers, as her Daddy had put it, but they had nothing on a Miami downpour. Wind and rain and blowing foreign objects. Palm trees and sand and little bits of building materials hurled around her as she drove. It wasn't even hurricane season yet, but surely this had to be at minimum a tropical storm. The weather had taken an ironic twist, she realized, blowing and howling outside as she and Eric yelled and argued with each other. As they fought with themselves; inside.

Finally, her home appeared up ahead, and Calleigh allowed herself to exhale, reminding her muscles to relax. Parking as far to one side of the driveway as possible, she purposely left room for Eric to leave his vehicle beside hers. It was a peace-offering of sorts; to put them both on level ground, on solid footing. With each other. With themselves. He took her lead and pulled up beside her, smiling a little as she stood in the rain waiting for him.

Eric shoved the parking brake down and popped the trunk, leaping from the vehicle before Calleigh could gather all of his bags up at once.

"Got everything?"

"Yeah." Eric nodded, and followed her up to the door.

She unlocked the door and waited for him to enter before she stepped inside as well. Toeing off her soggy sneakers, she dragged his suitcase through the living room, leaving him standing in the foyer, dripping on her rug.

"You coming?" She called behind her, not hearing footsteps follow.

Eric willed his feet to move, but held his breath as his eyes followed her path. He had stayed here once, years before, overnight. Back then he'd slept on the couch, feet hanging off the edge. Calleigh didn't stop at the sofa, however. She continued down the hall, and Eric hated himself for the way his heart skipped a beat. Was she going…? No. She veered off to the left, turned into a different room.

Calleigh noted his look of confusion and hurriedly clarified. "I forgot you haven't been here in a while. I redecorated." It was a nice way of saying it. He hadn't been in her house for nearly a year. "I turned the study into a guest room. You don't have to sleep in the couch this time." She gestured for him to pass through the door, then stepped inside as well, and opened the closet door.

"Feel free to hang your stuff in here." She pointed. "If you need more hangers, just let me know. I have plenty." She paused for a moment, and looked around her. "This will be your room. You know. Until…" She trailed off, unsure of how to finish. Until what? Until there aren't people shooting at you anymore. Until the people who want you dead are…gone? Bored? What? Until when? She wasn't sure.

"Yeah." He wasn't sure, either.

"Okay." She perked up a little and continued on, more sure of herself this time. "Now, I just need three things from you. In no particular order."

Eric eyed her cautiously, apprehensive about what might follow.

"First." She smiled gently at him and laid her hand softly on his forearm. "I need you to take a long hot shower and relax a little." The DeLuca Motel, she imagined, didn't exactly lend itself to rest or relaxation, but that was where she excelled. "Second; give me your dirty laundry, and I'll start running a load through. I figure you've got some stuff that needs cleaned by now."

She waited for a response, and was quickly rewarded. "Calleigh, you don't need to do my laundry."

"You're going to need clothes." She had a point, much as he hated to admit it. "And I have a washer and drier."

"I went to the laundromat a few days ago." What were the chances that Calleigh would just give in?

"If you don't have enough for a full load, I'll toss some of my stuff in. I need to do a little laundry, too, and I promise not to use girly fabric softener on your things."

Chances: Zero. He had to admit, though, he liked the idea of his clothes and her clothes matriculating. Tumbling together.

"Look." She persisted. "It's not like I haven't seen tighty whities before."

He couldn't let that go, but Calleigh was counting on that. "I do NOT wear tighty whities!" He exclaimed indignantly, unwilling to let her believe, even for a second, that he was that kind of guy. "And I don't mind your fabric softener." He admitted. He didn't, either. It smelled like lavender and loveliness. It smelled like Calleigh.

"I should hope not!" She paused before elaborating. "All that constriction isn't good for…future generations, you know." Teasing him, flirting with him relaxed somewhat. Reminded her of days past.

"Well, I can't have that now, can I?" He lifted one eyebrow suggestively, relieved that things seemed to be okay between them, the explosion an hour ago seemingly forgotten. She didn't respond, but he notes how her cheeks took on a darker, pinkish tinge.

"And?" He prompts.

"And what?"

"You said there were three things." The first two hadn't been too bad. Far more painless than he'd feared at first. He should have known better than to expect Calleigh's hospitality to be anything less than impeccable.

"I want you to relax and make yourself at home." Her words were so sincere, her voice so plaintive. "Really, whatever you want. If you're hungry, eat. If you're thirsty, get something to drink. Watch TV if you want. Watch movies. You don't have to wait or ask. Just…go ahead. Please."

"Sure, Cal." Her words touched him. "Of course."

She took a step toward him and reached out again. "Eric?"

"Yeah?"

"I missed you."

The admission floored him, shocked him. Calleigh Duquesne didn't say things like that. She didn't admit emotion openly, without provocation. Especially not to him. "I missed you, too." He had. And he hadn't even realized it until right now. "I missed you, too."

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A/N: This seemed like as good as a place as any to stop for a moment. Hope you liked/tolerated it. R/R!


	5. Settling In

Author's Note: Here is half of the remaining half chapter. Roughly. Call it Chapter 4.75. I am truly touched by the wonderfully kind comments the reviewers wrote to me. You are all so sweet and thoughtful. Thank you so much. I'm posting this unfinished chapter as a thank you. I'll write the other quarter as soon as I have time. Thanks again!

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"Are you sure you don't mind doing this? I can wash my own stuff." Eric asked her skeptically as he dumped his laundry in the basket she'd shoved into his room. She was doing so much for him already; he hated to saddle her with his chores as well.

"Not a bit." Calleigh sounded way too chipper for as late as it was. Didn't she ever sleep? "Is there anything that needs special consideration? Hang dry? Delicate?" Calleigh was extremely particular about her laundry, and she had an inkling that Eric was careful about his as well.

"Nope."

Then again, a girl could be wrong once in a while.

"I'll get right on this." She lifted the basket and headed down the hall. Calling over her shoulder, she added. "I put out some towels in the bathroom. If you need more, they're in the linen closet just across the hall."

Eric peeked in the bathroom and found things exactly as she said they would be. When had she done this? It occurred to him that the towels were probably sitting on the counter when he arrived at her house. She'd planned this. She went to the motel for the express purpose of bringing him home with her. This had been premeditated. Lord, what had he ever done to deserve a friend like her?

Calleigh dropped the basket on the floor in front of the washing machine in the laundry room. Deftly separating the clothing by color, she grabbed the darks and tossed them into the machine. Jeans. Shirts. Socks. Boxers. Hmm. Boxers. If she was a betting woman, she would have put money on the fact that he was a boxer man. Suspicions confirmed. Eric hadn't lied, apparently; he didn't have enough dirty clothes for a full load. Never one to waste water, Calleigh headed to her room and grabbed the hamper. Adding her clothes in with his, she filled the washer almost to the top. She looked at her own attire questioningly for just a moment. It was still wet; soaking even. Straining to hear, she listened for water running in the other side of the house. Stripping off her sweatshirt, she tossed it in with the other clothes, added soap, and started the load.

"Is it too late to add this?" Eric halted suddenly, eyes wide at the vision he beheld. He stared for just a second before rational thought overtook his brain. "Oh, God, Calleigh. I'm so sorry." He squeezed his eyes shut after gaping at her for a moment, realizing she probably hadn't planned on him seeing her shirtless. That image was burned into him memory forever now, not that he minded the picture. The circumstance, though, was horrible. The timing couldn't have been worse. Crap. Things had just gotten back to normal between them – or at least a semblance of normal. He hadn't meant for this to happen. Not that he didn't want it to…not that he hadn't spent more than his fair share of time dreaming of what she'd look like with no clothes. Stop! Enough.

"Eric!" Calleigh quickly turned her back to him to give herself some modesty. "Um." She had no idea how to react to this.

"Calleigh, I'm sorry." He was apologizing still, mortified that he'd invaded her privacy. "I was just going to add this." He lifted the bundle of clothes in his left hand, the shirt he'd been wearing earlier that evening. He, too, was shirtless, but less concerned about her seeing him this way.

"Okay. Hold on." She reached into the basket and grabbed the first garment she found – a white button-down shirt of Eric's. Slipping it on quickly, she closed enough of the buttons to cover herself, and took a deep breath. "You can turn around now."

Slowly, giving her time to change her mind, he pivoted, eyes widening at the sight of her in his dress shirt. It hung halfway to her knees, and it looked…good. Really good. He couldn't decide in that moment which he liked better: shirtless Calleigh, or Calleigh in his shirt.

"I'm really sorry."

"It's a sports bra, Eric." She tried to console him, instinctively knowing he was probably more embarrassed than she was. "People wear them as outer wear these days anyway. It's really not a big deal." Okay, it was kind of a big deal. SHE didn't wear them as outer wear, but…she did go to the beach, and her bikini top was far more revealing than the sports bra. So really, what was the big deal? She knew the answer to that, and it had been written all over his face a moment ago. The look on his face, part shock, part something else…lust, maybe? Perhaps. That warranted more thought, but she shoved it to the back of her mind for later.

"I didn't mean to…I just…"

"Eric." She smiled at him, trying to put him at ease. "I'm not mad." Reaching for the wet shirt he still held clenched in his fist, she tugged on the garment. "I'll throw this in. I'm doing darks first."

"Thanks." He said meekly, still staring at her. For a man who had seen more than his share of scantily clad women, he was strangely affected by the sight of Calleigh in wet jeans and a sports bra. She wasn't just any woman, though. She was Calleigh. Perfect and gorgeous and stunning. Eric was a man who had spent no small amount of time wondering what Calleigh looked like beneath all those clothes she wore at work. Layers. She loved layers. Shirts. Sweaters. Vests. Jackets. She almost always had on layers. Her abs were as flat and toned and he'd known they would be. Her waist was as small as he'd always imagined. Her…chest. Well, that was perfect. Perfectly shaped. Perfectly proportioned. He briefly wished it had been a regular bra; then admonished himself harshly for objectifying her that way. She didn't need that from him. She was a strong, capable woman. Stronger than him. Tougher than him. She bent sometimes, but she never seemed to break. Resilient. Elastic. Flexible. Hmm. That had possibilities. _Stop thinking, Delko._

"Water should be warm by now." She said it sweetly, as if to remind him of his shower, but she had other reasons. Shirtless Eric was truly a sight to behold: all tanned and toned and deliciously masculine. He was nothing if not gorgeous, she admitted to herself. Those chocolate brown eyes, with their powerful emotions lurking just beneath the surface. His jaw line, so strong and perfect. The smile she knew he reserved just for her. His arms. Calleigh was an arm girl, although she'd never admit it to anyone. There was nothing sexier than a man with toned, muscular arms. Biceps. Triceps. Forearms. For a moment, she allowed herself to remember how it felt to be held by him, encircled by his arms. Strong and protective and soft.

Gliding gracefully down the wood plank hallway, she entered her bedroom and closed the door.

"Where is it?" She asked aloud, rummaging through her closet for a ceramic heater. She was chilly in her wet clothes, and she knew from experience that if she didn't stop the shivering soon, it wouldn't stop for hours no matter how many blankets she buried herself underneath. "Yes." Success. Setting it for high heat, she removed her wet attire and sat on the ground in front of the blowing, heated air. Drying her skin with a fluffy towel, Calleigh finally allowed herself to replay the evening in her mind. She'd driven to his apartment almost on a whim. True, she had made certain that the guest room was prepared to receive visitors before she left, but she hadn't expected him to agree. She yelled at him tonight, and that fact bothered her. Calleigh never yelled. Not at friends anyway. Criminals were a different matter, but this was Eric and he was her…well, he was her something. Friend would work for now until she figured some things out. Never one to make hasty decisions regarding anything, she had some serious thinking to do. About her. About Jake. About Eric. Her life. Her future. What did she want? What did she need? It wasn't often that Calleigh thought like this. She planned ahead, of course. She saved for retirement. She had savings in the bank for a rainy day. But she had never once sat down and taken stock of her life. Decided what it is that she wanted out of her life. What she wanted to give back. Some things were just to painful, and it's sometimes easier to avoid the disappointment by not thinking ahead. Not planning. Not…dreaming.

Eric turned the water off and stepped out of the shower onto the plush bathmat. This really was a step up from the DeLuca. Hell, this was a mile up from that. It was nice not to have to shower with shoes on to avoid catching some rare fungal disease. Drying off quickly, he slipped on a pair of track pants and a tee shirt, hung up his towel, and went back to his room. His room. His room at Calleigh's house. It had a nice ring to it. The clock read two forty two. Almost three o'clock. The fatigue finally hit him, and he decided to unpack tomorrow. Maybe he'd have to iron a little more, but it would be worth it. Maybe tonight he could get some sleep. Turning back the covers, he climbed into the large bed and sighed. She knew how to pick out a mattress, he had to admit. This was heaven. The room seemed almost anointed for sleep. Soft sheets smelled freshly of lavender – no doubt her fabric softener. The comforter was down; so soft and fluffy and warm. He could relax here. Maybe. Closing his eyes, he drifted toward dreams with one final thought echoing in his mind. Only one thing could make this more perfect. Calleigh.


	6. Sleepless

Author's Note: I don't own these characters. I'm not getting paid in anyway except kind reviews, so don't sue me. No copyright infringement intended here, just having fun.

Thanks to all the reviewers for all the wonderful things you've written! This is the end of chapter four. Happy weekend!

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Calleigh stood across her bedroom staring accusingly at her bed. She could get in, climb beneath the four hundred thread count sheets; underneath the soft, warm blankets that weigh down on her snugly. It wouldn't be worth it, though. Sleep would be elusive tonight, and at this point even attempting to find it would just be frustrating. Opening her door a crack, she peeked down the hallway. There was no light on in Eric's room, and no sounds emitted from it. He was asleep, at least. Wasn't that the point of this little venture? Keep in safe. Help him out. Keep him close. What? Close? Confusion swirled within her if she thought about her own motives too often. Calleigh hated feeling confused, so rather than deal with it, she ignored the feelings and settled on action instead.

Unlocking her private fire safe, she removed her personal handguns and went to the living room. She grabbed her gun cleaning solutions and products, flipped the television on low, and settled down on the sofa. Her bare legs were chilly now, not under the blankets like she'd intended, but she'd have to deal with it. There was very little she hated more than long pants at night in bed. The legs of the pants got twisted around when she rolled over, they rode up around her knees. The whole situation was unsatisfactory, so she'd long ago switched to shorts or just shirts. With a guest in her home, she had to wear shorts for modesty's sake, so she'd just have to be cold for a while. Just a little while. Just until she was tired enough – relaxed enough to sleep.

Flipping through the channels, she grunted quietly. Eighty channels of cable TV, and there's still nothing to watch. It didn't really matter that much; it was really just on for background. A little white noise to help prevent her from thinking too hard. It was too late at night – or rather too early in the morning – and she was too frazzled to get into heavy thoughts right now. The soothing repetition of the task at hand should help. Stripping down one gun after another, she ejected the magazines and racked back the slides (safety first, of course. It's what she always told…everybody). One after another she disassembled the firearms, wiping absently at them with solution, brushing the barrels clean. Letting them dry. Putting them back together. Most people would just do one at a time, but not Calleigh. She like the challenge of it, so she took each one apart, spread the pieces out on the coffee table in piles. Springs. Firing pins. Slides. Receivers. It took longer this way, too, and forced her to concentrate harder. It was a little ritual she'd developed over the years. Whenever she was upset, really upset, she'd take all her pistols apart, mix up the pieces, and concentrate on nothing except putting the puzzles back together.

Pieces all cleaned, she started fitting them back in place. It wasn't as difficult as it sounded, at least not anymore. She'd spent a lot of time like this the past few years, and the test almost wasn't even hard anymore. More mindless. Her thoughts were starting to drift now as she did put them together again. And she was right back to Eric now. Exactly the subject she'd been trying so valiantly to avoid. The look on his face when he'd walked in on her without a shirt hadn't been missed by Calleigh. She saw the way his eyes widened, then darkened. The way the corners of his mouth tightened and curled up a little. The reluctance with which he'd turned around, granting her some privacy. He had equally affected her, all muscles and sexiness standing there shirtless in her laundry room, pants slung low on his hips. This wasn't a safe train of thought if she was ever going to sleep tonight.

"_Guns, Calleigh."_ She admonished herself. _"Concentrate on the guns."_ This wasn't working.

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Eric groaned and opened his eyes, rubbing them hard with one hand and then blinking. He'd had another dream. Very realistic. Very…lifelike. Or so he figured. At least this one hadn't been a nightmare. He'd had more than his fair share of those as of late, and they were always…vivid. People shooting at him, people actually shooting him. Bleeding. Pain. They were always variations on a theme. This, however, was nothing like one of those. This was…softer, gentler. And it was having the opposite effect on parts of his body. It turns out he'd been right about the images of Calleigh that had printed themselves on his memory. They'd followed him into his dreams and made his sleep…interesting. Sighing, he threw his feet over the side of the bed and started heading towards the bathroom. The tea Calleigh had left on his nightstand was apparently all the way through his digestive system.

The hallway wasn't dark like he'd expected, nor was it quiet. He shut the door to the bathroom quietly, took care of things, and walked back down the hall to investigate. The television was on, accounting for the soft noise. A table lamp was on, explaining the light. He gathered that she'd been cleaning her guns, given the spread of firepower on the coffee table, the bits of cloth and bottles of solution. Still, even that wasn't what caught his eyes. It was Calleigh. She'd fallen asleep slumped over on the arm of the sofa. Her attire made his throat close a little. Her little sleep shorts rode up high on her thighs, exposing her toned, muscular calves. Little socks kept her feet warm, and a long sleeved tee shirt cut the chill of the air off her arms. Her face, though was concealed by her hair and the awkward angle of her neck.

The room was nippy, but he knew why. Calleigh hated turning on her heat. _"I live in Miami!"_ She'd scoff whenever he'd tease her for being cold in her own house._ "Not North Dakota! It's supposed to be warm here."_ Knowing she'd wake up with a wicked headache if he let her sleep like that all night, he stood trying to figure out what to do.

Grabbing the remote control, he muted the television and sank carefully onto the cushions beside her, almost close enough to touch – but not quite. She squirmed a little when his weight caused her to shift a little. Eric watched as slowly awakened, became aware of his presence on the sofa beside her. Her vision was blurry and she had to blink a few times to bring him into focus.

"Eric." She smiled in spite of herself. "What do you need? Are you hungry? Do you need another blanket?" She started to get up, but Eric urged her back down, placing a hand on her bare knee.

"I don't need anything." He grinned at her. "Just sit down for a minute. Talk to me."

She settled back down and stared into space once more, waiting for him to speak again. Break the ice. She didn't have to wait long.

He hesitated before heading down that road again. She'd had an emotional night already, and he wasn't looking to make it worse, but something was bothering her. Keeping her up. Making her clean her weapons at four thirty in the morning. "Calleigh?" He tried to get her attention. "Calleigh, talk to me. What's going on here?" He moved his left hand from her knee, and clasped her right hand.

"Nothing." She shook her head.

"Cal." He warned. "Don't play that with me. I'm not buying it. Are you worried? Scared? Talk to me."

"I just couldn't sleep." She shrugged. "So I figured I should at least be productive. It's important to keep your firearms clean."

He watched as she deftly picked through the piles on the table, grabbing exactly the parts she needed and putting her 45 caliber together on the first try.

"Calleigh." He reached out a hand to still her movements. "Why couldn't you sleep?"

"Just couldn't." She shrugged, keenly aware of the warmth of his hand on hers. "No big deal." She unloaded a magazine, removing the old bullets and reloaded with new ammunition. It could get old after a while, and fail to fire at an important moment if you aren't vigilant. Eric knew all this, but he also imagined that this was not the real reason she was figeting with hit this late at night. She was nervous about something. He knew her too well.

"Dreams?" He guessed.

"No." She hadn't even gotten that far. "Why are you up?"

"Had to pee." It was a little crass to put it that way, but he figured she wouldn't mind. So it wasn't exactly the whole truth. He didn't figure she'd really want to hear all about his dream, given the rather prominent role that she'd played in it. At least it wasn't a nightmare this time.

She nodded, accepting his explanation and relaxed a little beside him.

"No nightmares tonight?" He refused to let it go, worried about her. Most people wouldn't have noticed it, but he did. He knew her face too well to ignore the way her eyes looked tired, the additional spit second it took for a smile to light up her face and masque her exhaustion. He knew. He saw it.

"Not tonight." She shook her head. _"Not yet."_ She added silently.

"What else do you dream about?" He almost whispered it into the quiet, but he knew the kind of year she'd had. Well, two years. Three even.

Calleigh would never be sure what came over her, but she answered. Opened her mouth and told him the truth. Maybe it was the lack of sleep. Maybe it was the darkness or the quiet. Maybe it was the way Eric smelled, sitting beside her, body wash and whatever biochemical combination that was so uniquely him.

Whatever it was, she'd have to deal with the consequences later. "William. Drowning. Being shot at and run down." What didn't she dream about? "You. Getting shot." Too honest. She hated that and felt blessed for being able to tell him at the same time.

Eric didn't respond at first. He was busy processing what she'd said to him, and he almost smiled when he realized what was going on around them. Here they were, both in their pajamas, at four thirty a.m. Sitting together on her sofa bearing their souls while an infomercial for the Jack LaLane Power Juicer played silently in the background. It was too real. Too...normal. He hadn't felt this normal in a while, and he wondered why she had this effect on him. Then again, what was affecting her? Calleigh was never this open, and he wasn't sure why he hadn't realized all this before. Of course she dreamed about the kidnapping. Of course she was bothered by her car being forced off the road into the water. Naturally, she was affected by a man slipping from her grasp and falling to his death. It all made sense. What surprised him a little, though, was the last thing she'd said. She dreamed about him. Losing him. He'd dreamt of losing her often enough, sweaty, frightful dreams where he didn't get to see her again. Hold her. Watch her. Hear her softly accented voice. It was a sentiment he understood only too well.

"I'm right here, Cal." He reached out and covered her hand with his. "I'm not going anywhere."

She nodded, but didn't speak. "What do you dream about?" She suspected that the call of nature wasn't the only thing dragging him from his bed that night.

"Calleigh." He sighed, but stopped, realizing that he was going to have to do this eventually.

"When I was a kid," He began, his voice low and soft. "And I couldn't sleep, my mom would tell me a story. Una historia."

Calleigh smiled contentedly, and unconsciously shifted toward him a little.

"My mom was pregnant. With me." He couldn't believe he was doing this. Telling her this. Would it color her view of him? Change her opinion? What if she found out what he really was and she…He couldn't think about that now.

"And they wanted a better life for the girls." He couldn't bring himself to include his name in the list of 'their children.' He wasn't one of their children. Not really. "So they planned their trip. Their escape. Across the water. They packed light, so they wouldn't arouse suspicion. It was Christmas time, so a family going on a trip wouldn't seem that odd as long as they only took one suitcase each." He took a deep breath and continued. "The paid a guy an exorbitant number of Cuban pesos, boarded a little boat, and set out for a new life in America."

"That must have been so terrifying." Calleigh commented quietly. "Leaving your home behind, everything that's familiar and moving to a new country like that. Not really knowing anyone. New language and all."

He hadn't spent that much time thinking about it, having spent his whole life in Miami it just seemed normal. "I guess it probably was." He admitted, shrugging a little. Leave it to Calleigh to figure out what his parents were feeling before he did, understand the emotions involved in the move. It seemed sometimes that the only persons emotions that Calleigh didn't have insight into were her own.

"Anyway, the boat came ashore in Coral Gables, and my mom went into labor almost immediately. And I was born four hours later."

She smiled at the thought of a baby Eric, squirming and adorable and inquisitive and cute.

"Only sometimes, that's not how the story went." He leaned forward and rested his head in his free hand. "Sometimes it was Key West or Key Largo. The location changed. The times changed. Sometimes she was in labor the whole time, the whole trip. Sometimes she was in labor for eighteen hours. Four hours. Ten hours. Nothing was ever the same."

Calleigh was starting to understand a little, and her heart constricted painfully for him.

"Turns out it changed all the time because it wasn't true." He laughed bitterly. "None of it."

"What wasn't?" She urged.

"I wasn't born here, Calleigh." He turned to look at her, his eyes darkened with pain. "I'm not American. I was born in Cuba. They lied. They lied to everyone. To me. All my documents are forged. My birthplace. My birthday. None of it's true. I can't…" He stopped, not able to continue. It bothered him, not being born in America. He had always been so proud of that fact - his whole family had. Their "American-borne son," their pride and joy. He'd grown to love all the national holidays as a child; his parents explained to him each year what they were celebrating, and how he should be so grateful to have been born in this country. The truth bruised his ego, but it tore a whole in his identity. He wasn't American. Never was. Not born here. Not...anything. He identified with his Cuban heritage. Spoke the language beautifully. As a child he'd spent hours listening to his mother tell him about her homeland, dreaming of a magical island, a tropical paradise. Now, he wasn't sure who he was at all. It was like being in limbo, in purgatory; waiting for someone to decide which side he should take.

"Eric." She whispered, suddenly realizing what was upsetting him so. "I'm so…wow. I don't know what to say. I'm sorry." She squeezed the hand he'd wrapped around hers, unable to think of anything else she could do to comfort her.

"They lied to me my whole life." His voice was low and acrid. "Everything about me was a lie."

"Eric, no." She laid her left hand on top of his, both hands grasping one of his now.

"It is." He insisted, still not able to tell her everything. "I'm not who you think I am, Calleigh." He couldn't bear to tell her the whole truth right now; it was too horrible. The part of the story he didn't know was even worse than the part he'd been told - or at least that's how he imagined it. What about his real father? Who was he?

She was at a loss as to how to respond to this revelation. He sounded so angry. So bitter. "No matter what, nothing has fundamentally changed. Birthplace, birthday - those are just dates and geography. They don't make you who you are. On the inside. You're still you."

"I'm not." He insisted. "I'm not the same person. I'm not who you think." Hell, he was barely who HE thought he was.

"You're Eric Delko." He winced when she said Delko. "And you're my dearest friend. You're your mother's baby boy, your sisters' baby brother. Your father's-"

He cut her off. "Definitely not." The thought frightened him.

"You are!" She didn't know what part he was upset about.

He didn't respond, just pondered her words. He was her dearest friend. That meant a lot. Soothed him. Something else was soothing him now, too, and he realized that it was Calleigh. She was leaning full against him now, her right arm woven underneath his left, flush against his body. Her bare leg pressed against his, and he stared at their hands. The difference between them. Hers so small and delicate and pale, and his larger and dark. She had always been the light point in his days. The bright light in his darkest days. He wondered at the irony, the metaphor of it, but Calleigh let barely concealed yawn, stretching like a cat against him.

"You're tired." He observed, thankful to put the conversation on hold for a little while. "We should get you to bed." His personal tragedy could wait for another time. She needed to sleep.

"No. We're talking." It had been too long since they'd just sat and talked, and she found she'd missed it terribly. "I'm fine."

"You're falling asleep." He grinned at her as she yawned again. "Come on." He rose and pulled her to her feet. "To bed with you."

True to form, Calleigh protested all the way down the hallway.

"Shhh." He silenced her at her doorway, noting that her bed hadn't even been turned down. "You need to sleep. Go to bed, we can talk more tomorrow." He wasn't sure he could handle anymore, so sending her to sleep was as much for him as it was for her.

The exhaustion was getting to her, and she finally acquiesced. "Okay." She reached for him, giving him a quick hug. "Thank you."

"Any time." He meant it.

She turned and stepped inside her room, turning to him before she shut the door. "Good night."

"Good night, Calleigh." He smiled lovingly at her and watched as she shut the door. "Sweet dreams."

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A/N: That does it for this weekend. Enjoy and review.


	7. Floatation

Author's Note: I lied. I took a study break and wrote this. Studied some more. Edited it a few times. Now I'm posting it. This should answer some questions. By the by: I don't mean this as some sort of political commentary on American immigration policy. I'm just writing a story here, and since one of the characters is from a different country, the issue is raised. Form your own opinions, vote however you want. It's a free country. I'm really not trying to influence anyone here one way or the other. Don't flame me. That said, enjoy the rest of your weekend, but first review! À bientôt!

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Calleigh was already up and showered by the time Eric shuffled sleepily into the kitchen later that morning.

"Morning." He grumbled, not feeling at all like adding the "good" part of that greeting. He was exhausted, but less so than he'd anticipated. What little sleep he had managed to steal had been the most restful, restorative slumber he'd gotten in days. Weeks, even.

"Good morning." She looked up from her spot at the kitchen table, taking a sip of her coffee. "Want the sports section?" She thumbed through the news paper that was spread out on the table top, extracting the aforementioned section and shoving it across to where she assumed he'd sit.

Pushing to her feet, she grabbed a mug from the cabinet and poured a second cup of coffee. "It's not Cubano, but it's caffeinated." She offered him the hot beverage with a wide grin, smiling even wider at the thankful look he shot her direction as he accepted it. "What do you want for breakfast?"

Eric glanced at the plate beside her coffee on the table. Bagel and peanut butter. Note exactly what he'd been craving…ever. "Got any cereal?" He knew it would probably be the super-healthy, extra fibre, low-fat, whole grain crap that girls always eat, but it would be better than nothing. He preferred…things with marshmallows and sugar. Cereals with flavor, not tasteless, pressed and extruded corn in convenient flake form, just waiting for you to pour milk on it so it could become immediately soggy and limp.

"I've got Shredded Wheat, Grape Nuts, and Cheerios." She opened the pantry and motioned to her flavorless selection.

"Cheerios, I guess." It wasn't like he hadn't had them recently. Whenever he babysat for his sisters, he'd feed the baby one, eat one himself, feed the baby one…with enough sugar, they could even be made palatable.

She grabbed the box and handed it to him, got a clean bowl out of the dishwasher, and sat a spoon down by his place at the table. "Here ya go."

Eric sat the box back down, having poured enough Cheerios into his bowl, and turned to her. She was holding out her sugar bowl to him with a soft, knowing smile. She knew him too well. "Thanks." Something tugged at his heart in that moment as he pondered their relationship. Here they were, in her kitchen, fixing their respective breakfasts. She knew his preferences, and he knew hers. He sat at the table, sipped his coffee and read the sports headlines. If someone was watching them at this moment, they would appear to be a happily married couple enjoying a lazy breakfast in the morning before parting for work. He watched her surreptitiously over a bite of cereal, mesmerized by her grace and beauty. She was an uncommonly and conventionally beautiful all at the same time. Her long, blonde hair curled a little as it hung damply around her shoulders, still wet from her shower. Her clothes were impeccable as always; face still make-up free. He decided he preferred her this way. Natural and relaxed. Not hiding anything. Just enjoying his company and living her life. Anyone who knew her, had ever even glanced at her would agree that she was pretty. Logically, he knew this. But there was so much more to her. More to her beauty. Her personality. She was complex, a puzzle even to him at times. She was so skilled at masking her feelings, adept at hiding her emotions, that sometimes even Eric wondered if she felt at all. Then she'd do something like this – fetch him from that hellish motel on quite possibly the worst night of the month, stand in the pouring rain in the middle of parking lot arguing with him, bring him home with her and treat him like an honored guest. No, Calleigh felt. She had emotions, and plenty of them – maybe even deeper than his. She just…hesitated to display them. He wondered why that was, but the train of thought was broken abruptly as Calleigh rose, walked across the kitchen and placed her dishes in the sink.

"Do you want toast?" She turned to him, leaning against the counter top. "Fruit? Eggs?"

"I can get it, Cal." He waved her off. "Go get ready. I'll grab…" He glanced around, searching for the bowl of fruit he knew she had handy. "I'll grab a banana and finish getting ready."

"Here." She ripped the piece of fruit off the bunch and handed it to him. "You need anything else?"

"No, thank you." He chuckled. "Go get ready. You'll be late for work, and H.'ll have my hide."

"If you can't find something, just holler." She called over her shoulder.

"Will do."

Eric was rinsing out his bowl and mug when there was a knock at the door. "Hey, Calleigh." He quickly walked to her room and called through the closed door. "Somebody's at your door."

"Will you get it?" Her voice was muffled. "I'm kinda busy."

"Sure thing."

Eric cautiously walked to the far side of the foyer and peeked out the window. Rolling his eyes in annoyance, he opened the door quickly, standing impressively in the center like he belonged there.

"Delko!" Eric was the last person Jake expected to see answering Calleigh's door at seven twenty in the morning. "What're you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." He mused idly, knowing it would just irk the detective he so detested.

"I'm here to see Calleigh." The words annoyed Jake the moment he spoke them. Like he had to explain his presence. Like he owed Delko the explanation…or anything for that matter.

"She's getting ready." Eric said coolly. "I'll tell her you're here, just have a seat." He gestured to the sofa proudly, but was unprepared for what happened next.

Jake brushed past him, shoulder bumping against his arm forcefully and purposefully. "She's expecting me. I'll just see myself in."

Eric stood forlornly and watched as Jake sauntered down the hall and right into Calleigh's room without knocking. Ire rose in his veins, and his blood boiled a little. What was he doing here, then? He'd thought…apparently he'd thought wrong. Disappointment blanketed his brain, colored his thoughts. Maybe he'd been better off at the DeLuca. It was crappy and it smelled funny, but he was safe there. Maybe not physically safe, but his heart was safe. It couldn't get broken there. He had the sudden urge to flee, but he knew it would hurt Calleigh if he did. She'd take it as a personal affront if he left, and he couldn't bring himself to do that to her. She'd made her choice, and he'd just have to accept the fact that he was, at best, second fiddle. Second place. Second rate. That's exactly how he'd felt since all this went down anyway, so why shouldn't his personal life – his relationships even – not follow the same vein.

"Jake!" Calleigh was in the process of changing clothes when he'd walked right into her room with no warning. She scampered for something to cover herself with as her eyes darkened with anger. "What are you doing here?"

"We were going to talk last night." He reminded her. "But you didn't answer your phone." He looked around the room with satisfaction, noting that only one side of the bed had been slept in. Apparently Delko hadn't made a move on her…yet. It was only a matter of time, and Jake had no intention of letting go of what was his.

"I was busy."

"With Delko." He nodded. Just because he knew nothing had happened between them didn't mean he wasn't going to use the situation to his advantage. "He's staying here now?"

"For a while." She disappeared into the walk-in closet and grabbed a blouse off a hanger, buttoning it up quickly. He'd seen her naked before, but it felt weird now. Now that she'd decided how she felt about him. How she felt about the way he treated her. About their relationship.

"So, I guess you were too occupied to pick up the phone and tell me…what? That you decided you'd rather have a little Mexican fiesta? What?"

"Eric is Cuban." She retorted, aggravated by his racist comment. But, she mused; she could just add that to the ever-growing list of things she hated about him. "And I'm just helping him out for a while. He's in a jam."

"And of course he came crying to you." Jake had always been a little jealous of Eric's relationship with Calleigh. They shared all these inside jokes and secrets. Finished each other's sentences. And he'd be lying if he said he hadn't noticed the longing looks they gave each other. He'd been waiting for this moment for some time now, but he'd be damned if he was just going to give in without a fight. "You take in all the strays, now, don't you? Is it just lovesick Latin men or do you take in cats and dogs, too? I've got a buddy who's wife just kicked him out, should I send him over?"

Calleigh burned at his comment, and wondered what she'd ever seen in Jake in the first place. He was everything she hated. Skinny. Arrogant. Boring. God, he was dull. The man had the personality of a lamp post – no, scratch that. Calleigh was fairly certain she'd met a lamp post or two with more going on than Jake. You know, those fancy ones in historic districts and such, the ones with the gas lights that added ambiance to a deserted old street. Those were definitely preferable to a conversation with Jake. The man could talk about nothing but himself and his job, usually it was some combination of the two. Calleigh was married to the job, but she had interests outside of the ballistics lab. With Jake, though, she was either ignoring his boasts while he carried on about some undercover bust or some such, or they were in bed. There had never really been any substance to their relationship, and Calleigh couldn't for the life of her remember when she'd gotten so desperate for human contact that she'd stoop so low as to put up with this.

She supposed that a long time ago she had loved him. Back in Louisiana. Before she grew up. Before she knew…this was no time for that. Now, she just stood staring at him in disbelief.

"I think you should go." She said as calmly as possible. "I need to get ready for work."

"Is that it, then?" He knew without asking what the answer would be, but he asked anyway. It would irritate her that he forced her to say it, and he knew it. It was his way of getting one last jab in.

"It sure is." She leveled off with him, staring him down and waiting for him to flinch. She was feeling much stronger now. Less needy. She wasn't that girl any more.

"Can I at least get one last hug? A kiss? Anything?" He hadn't meant to say it. It made him sound needy.

"I don't think so." She shook her head a little, exasperated with him and trying not to show it. She'd deal with this later. "Please leave."

"Calleigh, come on." He was pleading with her. Lord, where had his…ahem…family jewels gone? "Can we at least meet for coffee or something and talk this out? Come on, Baby, we've got a good thing here." He purred at her, one last shot. "Don't throw away all this history. It'll be okay."

Calleigh stood stock still, staring him down. The look on her face was unmistakable. She wanted nothing more to do with him, and she wasn't listening or giving into his pleas. Not this time. She'd learned her lesson, and she'd learned it well.

Eric smiled in the bathroom. He'd left the door open so he could hear, hoping against hope that it wouldn't go well. Hoped she'd kick the detective in the groin or something. He couldn't catch what she was saying at all, and he only heard bits of Jake's responses, but from what he gathered, the man was upset.

"Fine." The door swung open, and Eric turned his face back to the mirror, brushing his teeth a little more noisily than absolutely necessary. "We'll talk about this later."

Calleigh glared at him. "No, Jake. We won't. You can show yourself out."

Jake stormed through the house, pausing to glower menacingly at Eric, and then continued on his way out the door.

Calleigh jumped a little as her front door slammed shut. "Sorry about that." She murmured sheepishly, standing in the doorway to the guest bathroom.

"You okay?" He said around a mouthful of toothpaste, then bending to spit it out. "I tried to get him to wait, but…"

"Yeah. I figured." She looked like she was about to cry for a split second, and then it was gone.

"I'm sorry, Calleigh." He had a vague idea of what the conversation had been like, and as much as he disliked the man, he did like Calleigh. Her pain was his pain, and as much as he was thrilled that Jake was no longer in the picture, he hated the fact that she was probably hurting right now. This was a loss, even if it was the right thing to do, and loss hurt, no matter the circumstances.

"I'm not sorry." She shook her head. "I should have done that a while ago. Don't know what took me so long."

Eric watched as she mentally berated herself, knowing he had to stop that train of thought before she got too caught up in it. "Stop that." He tossed his toothbrush back into the gym bag. "You probably had some good times with him, right?" He prayed she didn't elaborate if she, indeed, had.

"I guess." She murmured.

"But some things just aren't meant to last forever." It sounded like a jewelry commercial to Eric, but it was the only thing he could think of to say. "Doesn't mean you didn't enjoy something or…learn something…I don't know."

"No, you're right." She smiled up at him, but he knew she was still compartmentalizing this. "It wasn't all bad."

"Come here." He hugged her to him as platonically as he could muster at the moment. It was difficult, though. She looked so beautiful in the light, relaxed and open and honest. "You gonna be alright?"

"I'm fine."

"If you need anything, you know I'm here, right?"

"I know." His arms felt nice around her, and she relished the way he gripped her tightly to him. "Hey, Eric?"

"Uh huh?" He released her and took a step back.

"Is there a reason why you're all over the news this morning?"

"What?" This couldn't be good.

"You and Horatio." She nodded. "I had the TV on while I was getting ready just now, and you guys are on like, every channel."

"You've gotta be kidding me." He covered his face with one hand and sagged against the bathroom wall.

"Something you want to share?" She'd read the scrolling ticker. It had something to do with a couple of kids missing from a boat, but the hair dryer had been too loud to catch the report.

"Just some kids." He said dismissively. "A boat of immigrants from Cuba showed up yesterday. And some kids are missing from it."

She thought maybe she understood. "This is the call you got late yesterday afternoon."

He just nodded, eyes closed.

"You said Horatio needed a translator. That's what it was for?"

"Kind of." He couldn't bring himself to lie to her.

"I'm confused, Eric."

"They're my cousins." He finally blurted out. "The kids. A boy and a girl. My mother's brother's grandkids."

Calleigh's mouth formed a silent 'o' as she pondered the implications, but he continued. "Their mother didn't make it or she didn't come with them. No one knows. Just…there was a note with my name in it."

"Is your mother in contact with her brother?"

"They call, write. You know."

"And I'm guessing she brags about you all the time." She smiled. Clorinda Delko was nothing if not proud of her only son.

"Probably." He admitted a little shyly.

"So who better to have as a contact than a respected member of the Miami-Dade police department when you immigrate to a new place?" It made sense to her.

"Yeah, but the kids are missing, and so is one of the other passengers."

"Who?"

"Not too many people talking about it, they're all afraid we're going to deport them all back to Cuba."

"They can't!" Calleigh cried, feeling sympathy for and a sort of kinship with all the unnamed people who dared to embark on the dangerous journey. Eric's family had made that journey, and she was grateful every day that they had – because of it, he was in her life. She hated the thought that the government would turn them away, deny entry to such brave souls. "Can they?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Technically, they made it to shore, but who knows?"

Calleigh was silent for a moment. "That's why he called you, then, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Eric sighed.

_Eric read the note carefully, eyes widening as he found his own name written carefully in the flowing script. "Please care for my children, my dear cousin." It read. "They are all I have left." Had she sent them on this journey by themselves? _

"_H." He was at a loss as to how to respond. "Why am I here?"_

"_It seems, Eric." Horatio turned his back against the bright setting sun. "That you are the next of kin."_

"_Technically, my mother is the next of kin." He reminded his boss, irritated that he was being brought into this. "I've never met this woman."_

"_Well, Eric." Horatio paused and looked thoughtfully into the distance. "The governor wants to avoid a repeat of the Elián Gonzalez fiasco, and you are listed as the next of kin on that paper."_

"_What is this, a reelection year?" Eric scoffed. "Are you trying to get me killed, H?" He knew his boss was aware of his current troubles with staying alive._

"_I'm trying, Mr. Delko, to keep these children from getting killed."_

"_And I'm what, the governor's fall-back plan?" He hated being used in a game of political cat-and-mouse._

"_I can offer you protection." Horatio suggested, truly sorry for what he knew the media frenzy would do to his young employee. _

"_Somehow, I don't think that's going to be all that effective." Eric remembered what happened the last time they had someone in protective custody, and although a repeat of_ _that was unlikely, he hated being that vulnerable. _

"_We have to find these children, Eric." Horatio's voice was determined. "They are our only priority."_

"_Looks like the feds are all over it." He nodded to the teams of uniformed agents, crawling all over the scene like an army of dark-suited ants. _

"_It would be preferable if we found them first." Horatio was right, of course. If his cousin had sent her children to America, he really did want to find them. Make sure they're safe. They are his family after all, or at least sort of. _

"_What can I do?" _

"_Talk to your mother." Horatio ordered softly. "See if she has pictures of them, descriptions, anything."_

"_Now?" _

"_Sooner would be better than later." _

"_Can I take this?" He held up the note and the photograph that was found with it._

"_They're copies." Horatio assured him. "I took care of that already. Ask your mother if she recognizes the names or the handwriting."_

"_Do I have to bring her down to the station?" Eric hated the thought of interrogating his mother, even if they weren't on the best of terms at the moment. Rationally, he knew that eventually he'd have to forgive her. She was his mother. His blood. She birthed him, raised him. Risked death and deportation to give him a better life in America. He would not disrespect her like that._

"_We're going to keep this quiet, Eric." Horatio's voice was low, trying to not be overheard by the prying ears around them._

"_I've gotta…" He motioned towards the Hummer._

"_Drive safely."_

_He hated this. He hated the whole situation: being forced into the media spotlight, being forced to talk to his mother…face his…well, his father. He lacked a better term for the man who had raised him. He and his mother hadn't really spoken much since her revelation to him at the lab a few weeks ago. She called. Left pleading messages on his voicemail. Even dropped by his home one day, but he wasn't there. Facing her now would be too much to handle. But he had to do it. Family obligation was something he took seriously, and the lives of his two young cousins might be dependent on the information he could glean from talking to her. Still, he wasn't welcoming the ensuing conversation. _

"_My son!" Clorinda cried out, tears streaming down her face as she embraced her son tightly. "I'm so sorry, mijo."_

"_Mami." He hugged her, an then stepped back a little. "We need to talk."_

_____________________________________________________________

A/N: You do your thing now! Cheers!


	8. Fairy Tales

Author's Note: Hello, everybody. Sorry it's been so long. I've been crazy busy with school, and I'm still behind in one subject. Catching up, though. Slowly. Might have fractured my foot, too. Hopefully it's just tendons or something. Argh. No more running for me. For a while. Have to study for a few exams this weekend, too, so I most likely won't be home long enough to update. For a while. Sorry.

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"Mr. Delko." Horatio called as his young employee passed by his office. "Do you have a minute?"

"Sure thing, H." Eric was not looking forward to this conversation, but he was expecting it. He'd spoken to his mother the previous evening, and now he was armed with all sorts of information that made his mind swirl with confusion.

"Do you have any new information."

Eric dropped a few photographs on his boss's desk. "She couldn't confirm the handwriting, but here's some recent photos."

Horatio gingerly picked up the Polaroids and gazed up on them sadly. "Beautiful children." He sighed.

"H.," Eric's breath hitched a little as he remembered his mother's tearful plea. "We've got to find them. Soon." His mother would not be able to handle it if her brother's grandchildren weren't safely delivered to one of the family members.

"That is the plan, Eric." Horatio stared at him for a split second, and then went back to filling out paperwork.

"H?"

"Is there anything else, Mr. Delko?"

"What are we doing? To find the kids?"

"You are interviewing every person on that boat." Horatio had it planned out already. "And Mr. Wolfe is going to drive with you. And help in case you need anything."

"You're serious?" If Eric was going to work this case with anyone, he wanted it to be Calleigh. Ryan was a good kid, a good CSI, but he was new. Inexperienced. Calleigh was…well, Calleigh was Calleigh, and if truth be told, she was easier on the eyes than Ryan.

"I am very serious."

"Okay." He nodded, seeing how this was going to go. "I guess I'll be going, then."

"Wolfe is waiting outside." Horatio glanced up at him. "Go find your family."

"I will, H." Eric smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me, Eric." Horatio stood and shook his hand. "Just find them."

Eric hurried outside to the waiting Hummer that Ryan had already stocked with every possible gadget and tool and gizmo imaginable.

_________________________________________________________________

"Horatio, have you seen Eric?" Calleigh's brow was furrowed in frustration. "I've been looking for him all day, and he's not answering his cell."

"Eric," Horatio smiled at her. "Is tracking down some lost children."

"Alone?" Calleigh's heart stopped beating momentarily at the thought, but she brightened her smile to mask the concern that gripped her psyche. "Horatio, tell me you didn't send him out by himself." While she didn't know all the details, she knew that people were shooting at him, and she didn't like the thought of him out without backup.

"Wolfe is with him, Ms. Duquesne." Horatio patted her elbow. "I'm sure he'll be back in a while."

Calleigh nodded and glanced at her watch. "Horatio, it's almost noon, and I can't do anything else on this case until I get the results back from Buffalo anyway. I'm going to grab some lunch, do you want anything?"

"That would be nice. Thank you."

"Anything you want?"

"Whatever you're having will be fine." After years of working with Calleigh, Horatio knew she ate healthy – and ate well. He'd long since learned to trust her gastronomical intuition, and was more than willing to trust the fate of his lunch to her competent hands.

"I'll be back in a few." She swung around, hair flying out behind her like a golden veil.

"Take your time." Since the feds took over the missing children case, they didn't have that much to do around the lab.

Calleigh rushed to the locker room, flipped open her locker, and grabbed her purse. If Eric didn't answer soon, she was just going to drive around and look for him herself. Then she'd try his home. Then the motel. Something was amiss. Eric always answered when she called.

"Calleigh!" Christ, he couldn't even say her name without smiling. "What can I do for you?"

"Oh, nothing much." She heaved a sigh of relief at the blessed sound of his voice. "Horatio said you were out working with Ryan. I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

Eric's lips angled up into a full-blown smile at her concern for him. So Calleigh. So sweet. Considerate. "I'm fine, Cal." He tried to console her. "H. is having me investigate the disappearance."

"Your cousins?" Like she didn't know.

"Something like that, yeah."

"Any leads?" Calleigh loved a puzzle, and if she could help put one together that unofficially helped get some children to safety, then all the better.

"Just one." He glanced at Ryan and nodded to something. "One of the passengers said she saw a young woman run off with them."

"Did she say which direction?"

"Way ahead of you."

"Do you have a description? Photograph?"

He signed heavily and ran his hand through his hair. "Description, yeah, but I need a picture. I need a sketch artist, and H. is never going to authorize that."

"Let me talk to him." She suggested. "Maybe I can change his mind."

"Thanks, Calleigh." His spirits lifted a hare. "I owe you one."

"Don't mention it." Maybe lunch wasn't that pressing an issue after all. It could wait. She could miss a meal and be okay, but two small children in a foreign land – with a stranger – that would not wait.

"Horatio," She realized a bit too late that she didn't have his food. "I'm sorry, I got caught up with something."

"Is there something wrong, Ms. Duquesne."

"I need to borrow a sketch artist."

"Borrow is a loaded word, Ma'am." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"I'll bring him back. Or her. Whoever. I just need…a few hours with a sketch artist. For Eric." Calleigh knew that would be enough information to make him cave, or so she hoped.

"You have one hour, Ms. Duquesne."

"Horatio, it takes longer than that just to get to Key Colony!" That wouldn't be enough. "Come on, Horatio. Eric's paid more than enough for this lab, give him a few hours with the sketch artist. Let him find his cousins." He'd paid dearly for his loyalty. A bullet was forever lodged in his brain. His wages were being garnished because he refused to take a con-woman to trial and risk investigation of the lab. He deserved this. He deserved so much more than this.

He seemed to think about it for a moment before responding to her. Calleigh had a point, and he didn't mind admitting it, either. One of the reasons he'd tried so hard to recruit her to Miami was her personality – not just her proficiency with firearms. She had an unwavering sense of justice and equality, and she was nothing if not a loyal friend. "Off the clock, off the record, if you can convince someone to do it, I won't know anything about it."

Calleigh shot him a relieved and thankful smile before fleeing the office quickly. She knew exactly who to beg, and she knew how she could make it up to her. Marlo had always been sweet on Eric, and Calleigh knew it. If she could somehow explain to her that she'd be getting some quality one-on-one time with Eric, Calleigh figured she could sweet-talk the girl into just about anything – and she was right.

"Delko." Eric flipped his cell on and answered professionally because Ryan was listening.

"Your sketch artist is on her way, where are you?"

"Calleigh, you…how did you…?" Eric was speechless. How does she do it?

"I know, I know. I'm amazing." She teased him, thankful that they were once again able to joke around with each other – all that awkward tension from the past few months cleared away and erased. She breathed easier knowing they were on stable ground again. "Where should I send her?"

Eric rattled off the address of where the witness was staying and thanked her profusely a few more times. Calleigh was a wonder. She truly was.

"Her nose was a little wider." Eric translated for the man describing the woman who absconded with his cousins. "And her eyes were closer together." He had to admit, the woman didn't look threatening at all. She looked…maternal. Caring. Hopefully she was caring for the children well. He just had to find them. Fast.

____________________________________________________

"Is this right?"

The witness shook his head and spoke to Eric again. "Can you make the hair shorter? And thicker."

Marlo nodded and went to work again for a few minutes, then held up the finished product. "Like this?"

"Sí!" Carlos smiled and nodded, pointing and gesturing wildly as he spoke.

"He says that's her." Eric smiled thankfully at the young sketch artist. "That's the woman who took the children."

"Gracias." Eric thanked the man heartily, shook his hand, and stood to leave. "And thank you, Mar." He shot her a grin, knowing it would be enough to repay her for the inconvenience of having to drive all the way there.

"It's no problem, Eric." Marlo rested her hand on Eric's arm momentarily, before getting nervous and pulling it back. "Anytime, you know that."

"Thanks." His mind was elsewhere. Carlos told him the woman's name was Ofelia, but he didn't know her last name. She'd disappeared as soon as the boat ran ashore, but he only had a vague idea of which direction she'd gone. It wasn't much to go on, but he'd made due with less.

"Get anything?" Ryan was leaning against the door of the hummer waiting for Eric to return from interviewing Mr. Ramirez.

"Got a sketch." He held up the picture for his friend to review.

"Let's photocopy it and hit Little Havana."

The men hit a pharmacy and made a few copies, then canvassed the neighborhood, stopping people on the street.

"Excuse me, Ma'am." Ryan walked up to an older woman outside a store. "Ma'am have you seen this woman?" Rather than acknowledge him, she just walked away quickly, glancing behind her nervously. He had similar results with several other people before he gave up and called Eric.

"I'm getting stonewalled on all fronts here." He sighed. "I just don't know if I can help you. Everyone thinks they're in trouble if I'm talking to them."

"Try Spanish." Eric suggested.

"Hola."

"No Español, huh?" Eric hmphed, feeling his friend's frustration.

"Not so much." Those omnipresent feelings of inadequacy that Ryan dealt with cam flooding back. Now he couldn't even do his job because he didn't speak the right language. "Want me call Calleigh?"

"Paler and blonder?" Eric laughed, even though he knew she might be the best bet. She is fluent, and she has a way with people; they respond to her. "Yeah, if she's not busy."

"I'll get on it." Ryan hung up and dialed.

"Excuse me, sir?" Eric approached an elderly gentleman, brandishing the sketch and the polaroids of his cousins like white flags of surrender. "Have you seen any of these people?"

The man started walking away, so Eric switched to Spanish.

"Por favor, señor." He ran up to the man and stood in front of him, blocking his escape. "Los niños…" He held up the Polaroid. "Estos primos son mis niños, y los pierden. ¿Usted los ha visto? ¡Mis primos!"

The elderly man sized him up for a moment before answering. "Sí. Los vi. Esta mañana." He paused and looked around him anxiously. "Con su madre."

"¿Dónde?" Eric whispered sharply. "¿Dónde usted los vio? ¿Esta mujer? ¿Era esta mujer?" Eric showed him the sketch, hands shaking.

"Sí." The man nodded. "Ésta es ella."

"¿Puede usted decirme donde?"

Eric listened intently and wrote down everything the man told him, thanking him profusely. "Gracias. Gracias tonto."

"Wolfe." Eric's heart was racing with excitement and fear. Dread. What if they weren't okay? What if…?

"Yello!"

"I got something, you wanna come?"

"I don't think that would be all that beneficial for you. You want some other backup?"

Eric smiled, but shook his head anyway. "Come on." He pleaded. "Come with me. If they're there, I could use an extra hand. Two young kids, remember?"

"I'm on my way." Ryan relented at last. "Where am I going, by the way?" Eric gave him the address and rushed to his own vehicle. The longer they were missing, the lower the chance of finding them…he couldn't think about that right now. For some distant relatives he'd never even met, he was feeling strangely protective. It wasn't just the same, "I'm a cop, I find missing people" protectiveness that missing children's cases always brought out in him. This was different. Deeper. This was family. And family is everything.

______________________________________________________

Calleigh rubbed the back of her neck and sank weakly into the cushions of the uncomfortable sofa in the break room. She'd been bent over a microscope all day, and her neck hurt. Her head hurt. Her back hurt. She just hurt. And she was tired. Maybe if she just sat here for a little while. Tried to relax. Just for a minute. She felt something unusual. Twitching, she shoved it off her feebly, then fell back asleep. The poking continued, though, and she thought she felt something in her hair. Opening her eyes she saw two beautiful brown eyes staring back at her. Familiar eyes.

"Well hello!" She greeted, a little confused.

The eyes moved away from her for a moment, and Calleigh blinked a few times. They belonged to a small girl. She leaned over and whispered something in a boy's ear with a giggle.

"She say hi." The little boy smiled shyly at her.

"Hi, there!" Calleigh was piecing together what she thought was going on. "What's your name?" She spoke directly to the boy this time.

"Pablo." He grinned at her, his lower lip pouting out just like…

She knew who they were. Eric's cousins. He'd found them. And they're precious.

"And what is your name?" She asked the little girl, tugging on her jacket lapel a little.

"She no speak English." Pablo explained. "She little."

"Oh. Okay." Calleigh turned back to her and grinned widely, leaning forward. "¿Qué le llaman?"

"Elena." The little girl smiled widely at her, eyes sparkling.

"Mi llama es Calleigh." She patted Elena's hair with a smile.

Elena smiled at her and whispered something else in her brother's ear. At Calleigh's questioning look, Pablo translated.

"She think you Cinderella." Elena was patting Calleigh's blonde hair, tiny fingers stroking the silken strands. That must have been what had awakened her. Elena was trying to wake the sleeping princess. If it wasn't so cute, Calleigh would have been humiliated – sleeping on the job.

Looking down at her own outfit, Calleigh realized that she was wearing a sky blue sweater – just he color of Cinderella's dress.

"Oh." She exclaimed, extremely touched and tickled simultaneously. "Well…" She had no idea how to reply to that.

"Calleigh, have you seen…" Eric screeched to a halt as he entered the break room. "Two kids." He finished lamely, since his question had already been answered. Calleigh was sitting on the sofa with Elena on her lap and Pablo beside her. They were all eating Calleigh's lunch and chattering happily.

"I think I found them." Calleigh winked at him. Wait. Calleigh winked at him? "Are these the one's you're looking for?"

"Yeah." He sighed, relieved. "That's them."

"Pablo, Elena." He squatted down in front of them and smiled. "Pedí que usted esperara en el otro cuarto."

Neither child answered, just hung their heads.

"Acabamos de hablar de Cinderella." Calleigh rubbed Pablo's back, trying to let them know things were going to be okay.

"Cinderella, huh?" The frightened looks on his cousin's faces was enough to prevent him from getting angry. These poor kids had been through enough, they didn't need him yelling at them. "Preferí siempre belleza y la bestia."

"Really?" Calleigh quirked an eyebrow at him. "I didn't know that."

"I'm a man of many mysteries." His smile could have melted glass it was so smooth and sexy.

"I'll say you are at that." She agreed, stomach contracting forcefully at his words.

"The feds are trying to take custody of them." He explained.

"But you're not going to let that happen."

"I'm not?"

"No. You're not." She said with finality. "Someone listed you as their next of kin. Someone knows that you can take care of them. And until there is a better option, that is exactly what you are going to do."

"It is?"

"It is."

"Calleigh." He dropped his head and rubbed his hand over his hair. "I can't even go to my own house. It's not safe for me to be in public, let alone try to take care of two kids. Cal, come on."

"Eric." She turned his face up to meet hers. "No one's asking you to go home."

He stared at her as the words slowly penetrated his brain. "Do you mean…?"

"I've got a big house." She shrugged and squeezed Elena affectionately. "Besides, I think we've gotten to know each other a little. It could be fun."

Eric was amazed. Floored. Flabbergasted. Calleigh didn't make gestures like this. Ever. Something else was beneath this – driving this. "Calleigh, kids are a lot of work." He was well aware of the fact that Calleigh wasn't used to being around children for long periods of time. "They're noisy and messy. And they break things."

"I'll child-proof." She shrugged. "And I have a pool. Kids love pools."

He couldn't argue with that. "Are you sure? I mean, you don't have to do this."

"I want to." She assured him, laying a hand on his shoulder. "You'd do it for me."

"Yeah." He said softly. "I would."

___________________________________________________________

Translations: (Since no one responded to my plea for Spanish assistance, I resorted to Babelfish. Sorry if it's wrong. Deal with it or help me out.)

Por favor, señor. – Please, sir.

Por favor, señor. Los niños. Estos primos son mis niños, y los pierden. ¿Usted los ha visto? ¡Mis primos! – Please, sir. The kids. They're my cousins, and they're lost. Have you seen them? My cousins!

Sí. Los vi. Esta mañana. Con su madre. – Yes. I saw them. This morning. With their mother.

¿Dónde? ¿Dónde usted los vio? ¿Esta mujer? ¿Era esta mujer – Where? Where did you see them? Is this her?

Sí. Ésta es ella – Yes. That's her.

Puede usted decirme donde – Can you tell me where?

Gracias. Gracias tonto – Thank you. Thank you so much.

Qué le llaman – What's your name

Mi llama es Calleigh – my name is Calleigh

Pedí que usted esperara en el otro cuarto - I asked you to stay in the other room.

Acabamos de hablar de Cinderella. - We've been talking about Cinderella

Preferí siempre belleza y la bestia - I always preferred Beauty and the Beast

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review.


	9. Truth

Author's Note: First I want to thank Marija Magdelana and emily_brat for their assistance with the Spanish translations. They generously donated their time to read and correct my [horrible] Spanish so that all of you can enjoy it written correctly. So, thanks to both of you!

Second: I hope you like chapter...whatever number this is. I stopped using the numbers because it got confusion.

Third: If you're from CBS, don't sue me. I'm not getting paid for this, just taking a little break from studying lympatic drainage patterns of the lower extremity (really fascinating stuff. No. Wait. It's not.)

Fourth: Read and review (if you are so inclined...and you really want to make my day. Really. I wan't kidding when I said reviews are like shoes. A girl can never have too many).

Enjoy.

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"Excuse me." Clorinda pulled her husband forward with her as she rushed into the police headquarters. "I am looking for my son. He works here."

"Name please." The receptionist didn't even look at her as she spoke.

"His name is Eric Delko." She announced proudly. He may be a grown man, but he'll always be her baby boy, and she loved him more than anything. "And his is a scientist here."

"Your name." The bored-looking girl rolled her eyes.

"I'll handle it." Pavel patted his wife's arm. "This is my wife, Clorinda Delko, and I am her husband, Pavel."

"Holding is that way." She shoved a clipboard toward him and pointed down the hall. "You can talk to the officer about bail."

"My son is not in jail!" Pavel huffed. "He is a policeman. He WORKS here!"

"Mrs. Delko!" Ryan was pleased to see his friend's parents again. "Mr. Delko, how are you, sir?"

"We're fine, my boy." Clorinda embraced the young, very surprised man. "I'm looking for my Eric."

"He's right…" Ryan was about to just wave them in the right direction, but the look on…he strained to read her name…Tiffany's face told him he was better off escorting them himself.

"Tiffany," He spoke to the annoyed girl at the desk. "I'm going to take them back. They're with me."

"Whatever." Tiffany shrugged, going back to her at-work manicure.

"How've you been?" Ryan realized he hadn't seen Eric's parents since he got out of the hospital.

"We're fine." Clorinda was fairly bursting with excitement – she had a nephew and a niece to meet. "Have you met my…"

"Mr. and Mrs. Delko." Horatio interrupted. "I didn't know you were coming all the way down here."

"Horatio, how many times do we have to tell you?" Pavel shook the man's hand. "First names. We're family."

"I apologize." Horatio hugged his former mother-in-law. "You must be here to meet the children."

"My brother's first grandchildren." Clorinda announced adoration evident in her voice.

"They are adorable." Horatio understated. "And they're in the break room." He pointed to Ryan, indicating for him to continue the tour. "I'm sorry. I really have to run."

"Come by and visit us." Clorinda clasped one of Horatio's hands in both of hers. "We missed you over the holidays."

"I will." Horatio was clearly uncomfortable at this. "I'll try to." It is always best to not make too many promises you have no intention of keeping.

"Mami." Eric heard a noise and glanced up from the sofa. "You're here..." He saw his father and trailed off.

"This is them?" Pavel smiled at the small boy who was regarding him suspiciously.

"This is Pablo." Calleigh introduced, sensing but not understanding Eric's discomfort. "And this is Elena." She shifted Elena on her lap a little and spoke to her. "Elena, Pablo, eso son sus tios, Clorinda y Pavel."

"Mí Tío?" Elena looked from Calleigh's face to Pavel's as Pablo spoke up. "Y mí Tía?"

"Sí."

"¿Realmente?" His grandpa had told him about these people, but he'd never met them.

"Realemente." Clorinda rushed over to her nephew and gathered him in a bear hug.

Elena watched the exchange nervously, clinging to Calleigh a little. She wasn't too sure of all these new people.

"Elena." Calleigh whispered in her ear. "Todo esta bien. Son muy agradables. Y los aman.."

"¿Puedo tener un abrazo, también?" Clorinda held out her arms to the frightened little girl.

She turned her head and looked at Calleigh for reassurance. "Bien." She urged.

"Okay." Elena held out her arms and was quickly enveloped in the loving arms of her aunt.

Calleigh noticed that Pavel had taken Eric aside and was speaking with him quietly, but it was the look on her friend's face that made her wonder. He looked…upset. Angry. And hurt. Their eyes met, and she saw him shake his head imperceptibly. Something was wrong, she was sure of it. Making a note to question him later, she turned her attention back to the joyous meeting of Tía Clorinda and her new niece and nephew. It was a precious sight, really. Eric's mother was fawning over the children, and Elena had overcome her initial shyness and was sitting on Clorinda's lap, fingering her broach carefully. Feeling a little like an interloper on this family reunion, she stood carefully to make a graceful exit.

_______________________________________________

Calleigh rushed around her house, packing away anything glass or sharp or breakable. She wasn't actually sure what she needed to do. It occurred to her that she had no idea how old the children were. The boy was older. Maybe eight? She wasn't sure. The girl…four? Five? Who could tell?

"Calleigh?" Eric led the young children into Calleigh's living room. "Calleigh, you here?"

"Yeah." She appeared in the hallway.

"Clean bill of health." Eric mussed Pablo's hair with one hand, the other still clasped tightly by a very shy, very nervous Elena. "Doctor says they're both fine." Social services had insisted, as had Calleigh and Eric's mother, that both children receive full physical examinations from a pediatrician.

Calleigh bent down and tried to see Elena's face, but it was buried behind Eric's leg. "Elena didn't like the doctor." Eric explained.

"¿Sabes qué, Elena?" Calleigh reached out and brushed the girl's cheek with her finger. "A mi no me gustan los doctores, tampoco." No response. "¿Quieres ver su habitación?" That garnered a small smile, so Calleigh held out her hand. "Come on. Pablo can come, too."

"Come on, Elena." Pablo urged. "It's okay."

Slowly, uncertain of what was going on around her, Elena released her death grip on Eric's hand. She was surprisingly strong for such a small person, and Eric shook his hand and made a face.

Calleigh led them down the hall and into the room that had been Eric's the night before. "Sorry." She whispered at him, noting the look on his face. "I didn't know where else to put them."

"S'okay, Calleigh." He really didn't mind. Calleigh had taken him in last night as an act of kindness – an attempt to salvage their dying friendship. Maybe something else, he wasn't sure yet. But, she'd taken in his cousins for…completely different reasons. He had yet to ascertain them, but he was sure to get to the bottom of them.

"I'm sorry, Pablo." Calleigh smiled apologetically at him. "I only have one extra bedroom. I'll figure something out, I promise." She had another room, but there was no bed in it. Maybe…

"We share a room at home." Pablo piped up. "It okay. I watch her. Take good care." Neither Calleigh nor Eric understood how important that promise would turn out to be.

"Are you sure?" She hated making them share a room.

"I sure." He nodded and put his arm protectively around his little sister's shoulders. His mama raised him right, and he was going to take care of her above all else.

"Do they have clothes or anything?" Calleigh glanced up at Eric, not seeing any luggage.

"They each have a bag in my car." He nodded. "Any my mom is getting stuff from my sisters. Hand-me-downs and stuff."

"Great!" Calleigh smiled at him. "Is she dropping that off with dinner…or…?"

"Dinner?" Eric raised an eyebrow at this.

"She's bringing dinner over." Calleigh affirmed, taking careful note of his hesitation.

"You talked to my mom?" He wasn't upset at all; just surprised.

"I called her to see what they'd want to eat." Calleigh explained, leading the kids on a small tour of the house. "She said she'd take care of it."

"You called my mom?"

"Sure." She couldn't decide if he was pissed or just...then she realized why he was so confused. "She gave me her number when you were in the hospital." She lowered her voice as she said it, not wanting to remind herself of those days, much less remind Eric. "Just in case anything happened or you woke up or something while I was there."

Eric was silent for a moment, distant. "She said you were there a lot." What she'd actually said was that she'd practically had to physically remove Calleigh from the room just to get her to go home and shower or sleep. She'd said that Calleigh almost wore herself into the ground trying to watch over him; working a full day – overtime, even – then standing vigil all night. Night after night. He'd never brought it up, figuring she'd want to maintain some privacy, but he was touched. Truly, deeply touched. He hadn't realized until then how much he meant to Calleigh – or how much he relied on her for that matter.

"I just wanted to make sure you were getting good care." That wasn't the real reason, and they both knew it, but Eric was willing to let her leave it at that. For now. Little ears were listening, and this wasn't a topic for them.

"Are you mad?" Calleigh couldn't tell by his reaction if she'd upset him by calling his mother. She'd been torn about it. The phone sat idly in her hand for a good fifteen minutes, alternately picking it up and dialing, then hitting 'quit' when she lost her nerve. Eric was Clorinda's baby. Her youngest. The only boy. His mother might not be aware that he was staying at Calleigh's house. If she did know, she might be upset about it. Angry, even. After what Eric had revealed to her the previous evening, she was proceeding with caution where his mother was concerned. He hadn't seemed particularly happy to see either one of his parents at the lab that afternoon, and she hated to cause strife. That said, children tend to be picky eaters, and they like foods with which they are familiar. Calleigh had an inkling that peanut butter and jelly or chicken nuggets weren't exactly staple of the Cuban diet, so…lacking any better options, she'd phoned Clorinda Delko who had been eager to help out. She hadn't even been fazed when Calleigh gave out her own address as opposed to her son's.

"I'm not mad." He itched to reach out and touch her, assure her that his emotions at that moment were not anger. She looked so worried, concerned. He knew he'd have to explain everything else eventually. Maybe later. Maybe tonight. His personal life had already been upheaved and revealed enough in the past few weeks, why not unearth a little more? "I promise, Cal." He smiled to add an extra measure of convincing to his words. "Just a little surprised, that's all."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure." After all she was doing for him, he could ill-afford to be upset with her at all.

Calleigh looked down when she felt something tugging the hem of her shirt. Bending down, she smiled at the cause.

"Tengo sed." She announced with a smile.

"Agua?" Calleigh was fairly certain that it was the only kid-friendly beverage in her house. "Leche?"

"Agua." Elena wrapped her hand around Calleigh's happily.

"Pablito," Calleigh smiled at him. "¿Tienes sed, también

He nodded, and Calleigh herded the small brood into the kitchen to fix them their drinks. Eric was too preoccupied to notice how tenderly Calleigh interacted with his cousins, or how careful she was when she lifted Elena up to sit on the chair at the table with her water and banana. He didn't notice when she walked past him to answer the door carrying Elena on her hip, either. He didn't see any of it. Yet.

_________________________________________________

Clorinda brought over a few shopping bags full of clothes for the children. Dresses and sweaters and pants for Elena. Jeans and shirts and jackets for Pablo. The dinner was fabulous – and extensive. She'd jumped at the chance to dine with them the moment Calleigh extended the invitation, grateful for the time to spend with her son. She'd shooed Calleigh out of the kitchen after asking for a quick tour so she could find the necessary accoutrements for properly reheating and serving the meal.

Calleigh lounged in a chair on the deck while Eric and his cousins played in the yard out back. Clorinda had "borrowed" a suspiciously shiny and new-looking soccer ball from her soccer-star granddaughter, and Eric was kicking it around with Pablo and Elena.

"Calleigh." Elena ran up to her, shaking her arm to get her attention. "¿Puedo ver mi mamá ahora?"

She felt her heart sink at the question, noting how the little girl's chin quivered a little. Of course she missed her mother. "Lo siento tan, amor. No sé donde está."

Big fat tears spilled out and ran down her little cheeks as she processed Calleigh's response. "No está aquí, querida. Lo siento tan."

Eric looked up from his game to see Elena sobbing into Calleigh's shoulder with her little arms wrapped around her neck. "She okay?" He mouthed.

"Homesick." She said softly as he approached them. "Misses her mom."

"You got this?" He'd never seen Calleigh like this before.

"We'll be fine." She assured him, rubbing Elena's back soothingly. "We'll be just fine."

Pablo ran up to them, worry for his sister etched all over his young face. He bent down and spoke softly into Elena's ear, too quietly for either Calleigh or Eric to hear. It only took a moment for her head to rise, wet and red and tearstained, hiccupping forcefully.

"She fine now." Pablo announced grandly, pleased with himself for calming his sister so quickly. "She okay."

Clorinda watched from the kitchen window with a knowing smile.

"Pablo," Eric asked, voice soft and full of concern. "Did your mother come with you on the boat from Cuba?"

"No." Pablo's eyes filled with tears, too as he shook his head sadly. "She sick. Then she go away."

"She went away?" Eric sat the boy down on a patio chair and knelt down in front of him. "Where did she go? Did she say?"

"Heaven." Pablo shrugged. "The doctor say she go to heaven."

Calleigh's heart broke when she heard this, and she wrapped her arms tighter around Elena. "Lo siento, querida." She whispered, kissing the girl's cheek tenderly. "Lo siento."

"What about your father?" Eric patted Pablo's knee. "Did he come with you?"

"He no here ever." Eric didn't understand the response, so he switched to Spanish and asked again, sighing at the news that was delivered. They'd never met their father. Well, fathers. They had different fathers, and neither one had stayed around long enough to meet their progeny. Pablo said it all so matter of fact that Eric felt genuinely guilty for feeling the way he did about Pavel. The man may not have donated DNA, but he'd stayed. Raised him. Never treated him any differently, loved him any less. He felt his own anger dissolve as he thought about it. Pavel used to take Eric to work with him on the weekends, show him the equipment and tell him about his job. He'd dreamt of his son following in his footsteps, becoming a chemist or a chemical engineer. After a few hours at work, Pavel checking on his experiments and Eric mixing father-approved chemicals in beakers and watching the reactions, they'd go out for ice cream or hot dogs. Sometimes they'd get churros from a vendor near the beach. He'd had some great times with Pavel Delko, genetics or no. And Pablo. Pablo had never had any of that, but he wasn't bitter at all. Just concerned about his sister. He was used to being the man of the house, looking after Elena. He was a little man, and he shouldered the responsibilities with acceptance and aplomb.

"Ven a cenar.." Clorinda called from the open kitchen window.

"¿Tiene hambre? Calleigh poked Elena in the belly making her giggle.

"Sí." She nodded excitedly.

"¡Vayamos!"

"Eric." Calleigh whispered as the walked inside. "How old are they?"

"Four and eight." He smiled at her, touched at how she'd bonded with little Elena. Some day, Calleigh was going to make a great mother.

____________________________________________________

After dinner, Eric asked Calleigh if she'd mind if he and his mother went for a walk around the neighborhood.

"We'll be fine, Eric." Calleigh tried to walk toward the door, but her movements were impeded by a small child who had attached herself to her leg. "Go ahead. I'm just going to get them settled in and put this little one to bed. She's had a big day." Calleigh had already seen the yawns escaping Elena's mouth during dinner. She'd warmed up to Clorinda and chattered away with her about nothing and everything that is important to a four year old. Pablo was quieter, but he, too, had taken a liking to Calleigh. After Elena was in bed, he followed Calleigh out to the living room and stood awkwardly for a moment before she urged him to sit with her.

"You came all the way to Florida alone." She commented, speaking English to him. If he was allowed to stay in Florida, she mused, his English would have to improve. Might as well start now. "That's very brave."

"Mami want to." He shrugged as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Abuelo take to boat and pay lady to watch us."

That explained the woman who had absconded with the children, at least. "Was she good to you?" Calleigh prayed they'd been treated well.

"Sí."

"Good."

"What grade are you in school?"

"Three." He announced proudly in English. "I go good in school."

Clearly, he was an exceptionally bright child.

"They make us go back?" He asked, sounding more like an eight year old than Calleigh had heard so far today.

"I don't know, honey." She hugged him, heart breaking. What a raw deal. Mother dead. Father out of the picture. Grandpa just wanted a better life for them, so he sent them here. And now what happens to them? "I'm sorry. I just don't know."

"I like here." He sniffled, finally allowing himself to be afraid now that Elena was asleep. "I like here."

If Calleigh's heart had broken earlier, it shattered now. Disintegrated. She gathered Pablo up into her arms, rocking him like her father used to do for her when she was upset. "It will work out, Pablito. I don't know how, but it will." It was only in this moment that Calleigh realized how frightened he was. How scared he must have been on that boat alone with his little sister; entrusted with the responsibility of keeping her safe. It was quite a burden for such small shoulders, but he'd taken it and performed the task well. When Elena was sick on the journey, he'd helped her throw up into a bucket. He'd washed her face off, brushed her hair. He'd held her and told her stories when she was frightened. He'd had to grow up a lot. Become more of a man than his eight years should ordinarily allow. And now they were finally safe. With family. Or rather, with family and Calleigh, but he liked her, so it was okay. Now, he didn't have to be brave anymore, he could just be a little boy, and let the adults worry about taking care of Elena. Let them take care of him. It was good to be home.

Eric brought his mother back inside so she could say goodbye to Calleigh, and then she left. Calleigh eyed him as he stood nervously in the doorway after his mother drove off.

"You okay?" She glanced up at him from her spot on the sofa as she sat back down.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He almost was, too. Almost. "I'll be right back."

She watched as he rushed into the kitchen, carrying grocery bags of who knows what, and made a funny face at Pablo. "Muy loco." She grinned, making the boy giggle.

"Calleigh?" Pablo asked her quietly as Eric entered the room again.

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"I sleep now?" He was so tired. The trip, worrying about his sister, missing his mother – it was all very taxing on such a young body.

"Of course, Pablito." Eric ruffled his hair. "You don't need to ask."

"Do you want one of us to tuck you in?"

"¿Qué?

Eric explained the concept, and Pablo stood uncertain for a moment before nodding slowly. "Be right back." He smiled at Calleigh as he led his young cousin into the bedroom and put him in bed, wishing him pleasant dreams.

"He okay?" Calleigh asked when Eric returned to the living room.

"He's fine. Just tired."

"I'll bet."

"You going to bed soon, or you going to be up for a while?"

"Do you want me go?" Calleigh asked, not understanding his meaning for asking. "Because you can have the bedroom, really. I sleep on the couch as often as I sleep in the bed." It wasn't true, but she hoped he believed it anyway. The truth was, she didn't remember the last time she slept in her own bed. If just felt too…empty. Too big. Too lonely. The sofa was small, and she could press her back against the cushions and pretend she wasn't all alone. Plus, she reasoned, at five feet three inches tall, it was a far more comfortable fit for her than it would be for Eric.

Eric watched her suspiciously as she spoke. "Why?"

"Just lazy, I guess. If I don't mess it up, then I don't have to make it in the morning." She lied, not prepared to bear her soul quite that much at the moment.

"I'm not kicking you out of your bed for one." Eric began. "And two, I wasn't asking you to leave. Stay here." He went back into the kitchen and came out with the grocery bags he'd been carrying earlier.

"What is all this?" Calleigh joked with him.

"This…" He opened one bag and pulled out a stack of DVDs. "Is wallowing time."

"Wallowing?" She smirked at him. "What are you talking about."

He handed her a pint of ice cream and a spoon. "Wallowing. Chick flicks and ice cream. It's what girls do when they break up." Calleigh felt tears well up in her eyes when she realized what he'd done for her. "I can't braid your hair or paint your nails, but I can eat ice cream and watch movies with you."

"_Don't cry, Duquesne."_ She thought to herself, intimately touched at his thoughtfulness. _"Don't cry"_

"I have romantic comedy. Y our standard, girl meets guy chick flick. I have Bollywood. I have romantic drama. I have…" She didn't hear the rest. Her eyes were focused on his face as he spoke. Her girlfriends weren't even this nice to her, not even in college. No one had ever done something like this for her, especially not a man. A man who felt for her the way he did, especially.

"Calleigh?" He waved his hand in front of her face when she didn't respond. "Cal? You okay?"

Shaking her head, she smiled at him with eyes shining. "I'm great. Thank you, Eric, for all this. You didn't have to do all this."

"I wanted to." He downplayed his actions, not wanting her to be uncomfortable. "I wasn't expecting company, or we'd have started a lot sooner. Here." He handed her the stack of DVDs. "Pick your poison."

Calleigh chose a movie, and plopped it in the DVD player, and was once again surprised when she turned around and saw six pints of ice cream lined up on her coffee table.

"I wasn't sure which one was the best for wallowing, so I got all the clichés." He explained. "Cookie dough. Rocky road. Cookies and cream. Vanilla, for you purists." He knew her penchant for French vanilla ice cream. "Cherry Garcia. And, of course, peanut butter fudge. Take your pick."

"Cookie dough." She grinned at him. "It's the best for breakups."

"Well, then, cookie dough it is." He picked the rocky road, but Calleigh ended up eating as much of it as he did. He laughed as she took one bite of hers, one bite of his, one bite of hers.

"Do you want this one?" He offered her his container after her eleventh or twelfth bite. He'd lost track, not that he minded. Eating after her was kind of like kissing, but not quite, and he'd long since passed the stage where girls have cooties. Still, if she wanted rocky road, he'd gladly relinquish it. "I don't mind."

"Nah." She waved her spoon at him, content to just sit and look at the movie and be with Eric. She wasn't actually watching it; her senses were all hyperaware of the man sitting next to her holding out his ice cream so she could easily get some of it, too. "I'm good." The truth was, she hadn't been this good in years.

**Translations:**

Elena, Pablo, eso son sus tios, Clorinda y Pavel. – Elena, Pablo, this is your aunt Clorinda and your Uncle Pavel.

Mí Tío? Y mí Tía? – My uncle? And my aunt?

Sí - Yes

¿Realmente? – Really?

Realemente – Really.

Todo esta bien. Son muy agradables. Y los aman – It's okay. They're very nice, and they love you.

¿Puedo tener un abrazo, también? – Can I have a hug, too?

Bien – it's okay

¿Sabes qué, Elena?? – You know what, Elena

A mi no me gustan los doctores, tampoco – I don't like doctors, either.

¿Quieres ver su habitación?– Do you want to see your room?

Tengo sed – I'm thirsty

¿Tienes sed, también?– Are you thirsty, too?

¿Puedo ver mi mamá ahora? – Can I see my mommy now?

Lo siento tanto, amor. No sé donde esta.– I'm so sorry, sweetheart. She's not here.

No está aquí, querida. Lo siento tan. – She's not here, darling. I'm so sorry.

Ven a cenar.– Come eat dinner.

¿Tienes hambre?– Are you hungry?

Sí - Yes

¡Vayamos! – Let's go!

A/N: You read the chapter. Now there's just one more thing to do. Click and type. Click and type. Come on. You can do it.


	10. Fears

Author's Note: This chapter is lighter on the Spanish. It's easier on everyone, and finding ways around it is...interesting. Enjoy. (laughs. You'll understand). lol

_______________________________________________

"Good morning, munchkin." Calleigh greeted Pablo as he walked into the kitchen the next morning. "Hungry?"

"Sí." He nodded eagerly, turning to look behind him and motioning to an unseen individual. "Elena!" He called in frustration.

Calleigh smiled as she got the picture and poked her head around the doorway with a gentle smile. "Elena, tengo hambre?"

The sleepy little girl nodded and launched herself into Calleigh's arms, thrilled to see her. She hadn't been too sure if the nice people would still be there when she woke up. So many things had been changing and happening. It was a little much for a four year old to deal with. Too much to keep up with. The instability was starting to affect her.

"Buenos dias, Elena." Calleigh bounced her up and down.

"¡Buenos dias!" She happily hugged Calleigh, thrilled to see the same kind face two days in a row.

Eric walked cautiously into the kitchen and greeted his cousins warmly, hugging Pablo and holding out his arms to take Elena from Calleigh.

"¡No!" She shook her head vehemently, tightening her grip around Calleigh's neck.

Calleigh shrugged at him and nodded to let him know she was okay with it. "You hungry?" She pointed to the kitchen table. "It's all ready."

Eric glanced where her finger pointed and gasped at what he saw. Boxes of Lucky Charms and Coco Pebbles graced the table where he had eaten the bland Cheerios the morning before.

"Are those more you style?" She joked with him.

"Cal, you didn't have to do this."

"Ehh." She made a face at him and Elena giggled. "What do you think the kids will want."

"Cereal's fine, I guess."

Eric asked Pablo what he wanted for breakfast, and Calleigh, satisfied that she had the appropriate foods, fixed their breakfast, then deposited Elena in a chair to eat.

"My mom's picking them up in half an hour." Eric said around a mouthful of cereal. "She's going to watch them during the day until…" He wasn't sure until when.

"Okay." Glancing at Elena, she frowned. "Does she have a booster seat? I don't think this little one is big enough to ride without one."

"Huh?"

"Forty pounds, Uncle Eric." She rolled her eyes at him. "Gotta be in a booster until she weights forty pounds."

"She does?"

"Uh huh."

"She's not forty pounds?"

"She's a little small for her age, I think." Calleigh sized up the little girl. "So, no. I don't think so."

"I'll…uh…I'll call her." Maybe one of his sisters had one he could borrow. Pilar's girls were both old enough to not need a booster seat any more. What were the chances that she still had one?

"Hecho todo." Elena announced when she was done eating.

"I'm going to go get her ready." Calleigh held her hand as she slid off the chair and led her to the bedroom. "What are you going to wear today, little one?" She mused out loud, rifling through the bags of clothes.

Elena picked a pair of jeans and a pretty pink sweater and quickly got dressed. "¿Por favor?" She held up a hair brush to Calleigh.

"Of course." Calleigh brushed out her hair and clipped up the sides into a barrette. "¡Magnífica!" She patted her head.

"¡Pablo!" She tore out of the room at a sprint, eager to show off her new clothes and pretty hair-do to her brother.

Calleigh wandered out of the guest room and found Eric standing in the hallway, watching his cousins play.

"They are adorable." She commented quietly.

"Thank you." His mind wasn't really on what had been said to him, rather, he was concentrating more on what she was doing for him.

"For what?"

Realizing his blunder, he blushed and backtracked. "No. No. I mean, thank you for doing this. For letting them…I mean us stay here."

Calleigh grabbed his forearm and turned him toward her slightly. "Eric." Her voice was gravely serious. "You're not an imposition in my life. You're my friend." His jaw tightened a little at the word 'friend,' but she pretended not to notice. "I'd be a horrible friend if I knew you were in trouble and I did nothing about it."

He said nothing for a moment as she continued to search his eyes. "The kids, though." He whispered, glancing to where they were playing. "That's a pretty big deal."

"I like kids, Eric." She reminded him gently. "Especially sweet, well-behaved ones."

"Still," He persisted, eager for her to understand the depth of his gratitude. "This is…thank you doesn't really begin to cover it."

"Thank you is plenty." She glanced at her watch and held it out for him to see as well. "You better get ready. Your mom is going to be here soon."

"Yeah. Yeah." He turned slowly and pondered her words. She'd obviously gotten up early, showered, dressed, and fixed her hair. She'd eaten, and started fixing the children breakfast before he even woke up. This was a Calleigh he'd never known, never met – and he had to admit that he liked it. Liked her. Well, he always liked Calleigh. Hell, he even loved her. But this…this made him love her even more. This was…he could close his eyes and pretend it was everything he'd ever wanted. Calleigh, him, kids. House. Backyard. The only thing missing was that blasted picket fence and a dog, then it would be the proverbial American dream. Shaking his head, he reminded himself that Calleigh didn't feel that way about him. She probably didn't even want any of those things – at least not with him. She knew how he felt about her. He knew she'd read his file. She liked…other kinds of men. Simple. Uncomplicated. He wasn't uncomplicated anymore. His family situation had dramatically changed, his residency and citizenship status had disintegrated, hell, even his birthday had changed. His father wasn't really his father. His real father wanted him dead. His entire family had lied to him since birth. Yeah, this was complicated. Now, to compound the situation, he was in custody of two small children – at least until INS or the courts or whoever decided these things made some sort of ruling. He sighed as the steaming hot water pounded his back. When did things get so messed up?

Calleigh heard the doorbell ring, and hoped that it was Eric's mother and not a replay of the previous morning. A high-pitched squeal announced the arrival of Tía Clorinda, and Calleigh felt herself let out a deep sigh of relief. She didn't need any more Jake drama in her life.

"Calleigh." Little fists banged on her door. "¡Calleigh, Tía está aquí!"

Opening the door, she revealed a very excited little Elena, jumping up and down. "¡Tía está aquí!"

"That's right, sweetie." Grabbing Elena's hand, Calleigh led her to the front door, grabbing a jacket along the way.

"Here's her jacket." She handed Clorinda the garment. "They've both had breakfast already." She paused for a second, then asked, "Booster seat?"

"It's in the car, dear."

"Okay, buddy." Eric handed Pablo his own coat to wear. "We'll see you two tonight."

"¿Esta noche? " Pablo looked concerned. "¿Por qué?"

"We've gotta go to work." Eric knelt down and looked his cousin in the face. "You'll spend the day with Tía Clorinda, and we'll pick you up after work tonight."

Elena's eyes darted from Pablo to Eric and back again as she watched the exchange, not understanding what was going on. Her confusion was short-lived, however, as her older brother quickly brought her up to speed. Calleigh watched, heart breaking as the little girl's chin started quivering and tears started streaming down her face. "¡Por favor!" She cried. "¡Me comportaré bien!" Running into Calleigh's arms, she sobbed tearfully, begging her and Eric to not send her away.

"Oh, Elena!" Calleigh could have cried at the girl's tearful pleas. "No, amor. Le conseguiremos esta noche, prometo. No le estamos enviando!" Elena continued to cling to her as she cried, but Calleigh had an idea. "We'll be right back." She lifted Elena into her arms and walked back to the bedroom.

Precariously balancing Elena on her hip as she continued to sob, Calleigh rifled through her closet for a moment, then pulled out a very well-loved bear.

"Éste es mi oso preferido. Su nombre es Teddy. ¿Tú tomará el cuidado de él para mí hoy? Lo necesitaré detrás esta noche. ¿Puede tú hacer eso para mí?" She held out the bear to Elena, wondering what name she actually had given it as a child.

"¿Es verdad?" Elena sniffled as she reached out to run her fingers over the bear's worn fur. "¿Tú se volverá? ¿Esta noche?"

"Esta noche." She kissed Elena's cheek. "Prometo."

"Okay." Calleigh shocked Clorinda and Eric as she breezed back into the living room with a smiling Elena in her arms. "All better."

"How did you…?" Eric's jaw dropped a little, amazed at the change in the small girl.

"Magic." She waggled her eyebrows at him, making him swallow uncomfortably. "A girl can't divulge all her secrets, now can she?"

Calleigh took the kids out the car as Eric and Clorinda talked, buckled them in, and kissed them both goodbye, promising to see them for dinner later that evening.

"¡Te amo!" Elena bubbled as she hugged Calleigh, bear clutched tight under one arm.

"Oh, sweetie." Calleigh brushed her fingers through the child's soft, dark hair. "¡Te amo, también!"

______________________________________________________

"Calleigh!" Eric jogged up to her in the lab later that afternoon. "Calleigh, I hate to ask you this, but…" He trailed off nervously.

"Go ahead." She urged patiently. "What is it?"

"I have an appointment this afternoon."

"Okay?"

"It's after work."

"And?" She was fairly certain that she knew exactly where he was going with this, but it watching him squirm was too much fun after the few months they'd had.

"I promised Pablo and Elena I'd pick them up as soon as I got off work."

"Go ahead." It was getting hard to keep from not smiling at his discomfort.

"Calleigh!" He groaned. "Come on!"

Finally taking pity on him, she smiled. "Why don't I pick the kids up from your mother's, Eric?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "That's a great idea, Calleigh! Why don't you?"

"I'm just kidding, Eric." She calmed him. "I'll get them, don't worry. Just loan me your car."

The prospect of having to drive her car did not thrill him. "Cal, I won't even fit in your car."

"Those are the terms, Eric." She smiled sweetly at him. "Besides, I can't put two children in the back of my car."

He had to admit she had a point. Her car was tiny, the backseat was difficult to get to, and in a side crash, his probably did have a better chance of survivability for…everyone. Shaking his head, he abandoned the train of thought before he started feeling too much like…his father.

"You know the way?"

"No, but I figure you'll give me directions." She jested with him brightly. "You're okay, though, right?" Her voice took on a more serious tone, concern for him heavy in her features.

"Yeah. Yeah." He glanced around him anxiously, looking for prying eyes and ears. "I have an appointment, that's all…with my therapist." He stopped short of telling her why he'd set up this appointment. Why he'd suddenly scheduled a visit two weeks ahead.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, right?" She took a step closer to him, invading his space and making him feel the slightest bit uncomfortable. "Is everything okay? Eric?"

Eric's eyes fixed on her hand as it lay lightly on his arm, fingers clutching softly and securely at the same time.

"Eric?"

"I…" He couldn't do it. Not here. "I…I'll tell you later?" He hoped she'd understand why.

"Of course." She gave his arm a squeeze before releasing it and stepping back to a respectable distance. "Now," She changed the subject for him. "How about those directions? And keys, please."

Grateful for her intuition, he smiled at her fully and thankfully as he grabbed a sheet of paper and scribbled down the instructions for her. "Thanks, Calleigh." He held on to the folded sheet of paper long enough to force her to look at him. "For everything."

"Don't mention it."

____________________________________________________

"Hey, there!" Calleigh glanced up from the dining room table where she was balancing her checkbook while Pablo and Elena darted around the house after one another. "Hungry?"

"Starving." Eric answered her distractedly, taking in the scene. Calleigh. Pablo. Elena. Happy and healthy and…

"There's moros y cristianos on the stove." She gestured behind her, not bothering to get up. "Your mom sent it over."

"How is she?" He snapped out of it long enough to inhale the familiar aroma. His mother was an amazing cook, and this had been a favorite dish of his since childhood.

"Ecstatic." Calleigh chuckled. "I almost didn't think she was going to let me take them home." She had been a bit reluctant to release her new charges into the capable hands of her son's…friend (?). Calleigh was nice, and the children seemed to like her, but…she isn't family. And these lovely children were the closest link she'd had to her brother in years. It was Elena's happy squeal when she spotted Calleigh that melted Clorinda's heart. She watched as the small girl sprinted across the room and fairly flew into Calleigh's waiting arms, chattering excitedly about her day. Calleigh hugged first Elena and then Pablo, making sure to ask him questions as well. It was these small interactions that let Clorinda Delko know that her nephew and niece were in good hands. Calleigh may not be related, but she loved them – that much was obvious.

"Ma tends to get…clingy." Eric understated with a wry smile. "How was Elena when you picked her up?" He remembered her outburst and fear from the morning.

"Happy to see me." Calleigh smiled softly at the memory of the girl's enthusiastic greeting, her happy shrieks…her excited declarations of "you came back." It was so terribly sad and completely precious at the same time, and Calleigh wasn't quite sure what to make of it yet.

"I'll bet."

The relative tranquility of the evening was shattered with a crash and a high-pitched scream – and not the happy kind that had been volleyed through the air since they'd arrived home. Calleigh reacted first, springing from the chair and dashing into the kitchen with Eric close on her heels. Elena was standing in the middle of the kitchen surrounded by shards of broken glass.

"Lo siento." She sobbed immediately. "Lo siento!" Her wails were reaching a frighteningly shrill frequency.

"¡No se mueva!" Calleigh ordered, lifting her into the air and settling her on the counter. "¿Le dañan?" She inspected her carefully for cuts and bleeding, shushing her as she sobbed.

"No."

Calleigh tried to reassure her that she wasn't in trouble, but it had little affect. Losing patience, Calleigh tugged her off the counter and carried her into the living room, sitting on the sofa with Elena on her lap. She held her securely, rocking her back and forth, all the while assuring her that she wasn't in any trouble. No one was upset with her. Pablo joined them on the couch and tried to talk to her as well, but there was no calming her.

"Eric!" Calleigh shouted, noting the girl's appearance. "Eric, come here."

He dumped the dust pan full of glass into the trash can and rushed into the living room. "What's wrong?"

"Eric, look at her!" Calleigh's voice was tense with worry. "She's turning blue."

"Elena." He knelt by Calleigh's feet and tried to get the small child's attention. "¿Elena, puede tú oírme?" When she didn't respond, his wild eyes met Calleigh's. "She can't breathe."

He held his fingers to her arm and felt for a pulse as she gasped for breath. "I'm calling an ambulance." He whipped his phone out and dialed, fingers shaking as he pressed the keys.

"She fine." Pablo insisted. "She okay."

"She's not fine, Pablito." Eric told him sadly. "But she will be."

Eric unlocked the door and paced back and forth, eyes trained on his cousin. She'd been at the doctor just yesterday. Nothing was wrong. Clean bill of health. And now…

The paramedics came and strapped her onto a gurney, fixing oxygen masks on her face and scaring her more.

"I'm going with her." He said as he hopped into the back of the ambulance. "Stay with Pablo."

Calleigh wrapped her arms around the scared little boy as the vehicle drove off, sirens blaring and lights flashing. "Get your shoes." She patted him on the shoulder.

"¿Qué?"

"We're going." There was no way Calleigh was going to keep Pablo away from his sister, and she definitely was not going to say away, either.

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Translations:

Elena, tengo hambre? - Are you hungry?

Buenos dias, Elena. – Good morning, Elena!

Hecho todo. – All done.

¿Por favor? – Please?

¡Magnífica! – Magnificent!

¡Calleigh, Tía está aquí! – Calleigh, Autie's here!

¿Esta noche? ¿Por qué? – Tonight? Why?

¡Me comportaré bien! – I'll behave (well).

No, amorLe conseguiremos esta noche. Prometo. No le estamos enviando.

– No, sweetheart. We'll pick you up tonight. I promise. We're aren't sending you away.

Éste es mi oso preferido. Su nombre es Teddy. ¿Tú tomará el cuidado de él para mí hoy? Lo necesitaré detrás esta noche. ¿Puede tú hacer eso para mí? – This is my very favorite bear. His name is Teddy. Will you take care of him for me today? I'll need him back tonight. Can you do that for me?

¿Es verdad? – Really?

¿Tú se volverá? ¿Esta noche? – You'll come back? Tonight?

Prometo – I promise.

¡Te amo! – I love you.

¡Te amo, también! – I love you, too.

Lo siento.

¡No se mueva! – Don't move!

¿Le dañan? – Are you injured?

¿Elena, puede tú oírme? – Elena, can you hear me?

A/N: Now you just review! You know you wanna!


	11. Heart Sounds

Author's Note: Guess what I'm studying this weekend. Cardiac physiology. That's right. I got the idea for a story sitting, bored out of my skull, in a cardiac phys lecture. Stranger things have happened, I suppose. Enjoy. Thanks for the reviews! Hugs!

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"Are you ready?" Calleigh rushed around the house. "Shoes? Jacket?"

"All ready." Pablo's brow was knitted in worry and fear for his little sister. He wasn't sure what was going on. One minute she was fine. Then she was crying. Then she was turning blue and his cousin Eric was hauling her into the back of a big, noisy truck with lights on. He wasn't sure what the English word for it was, but it looked a little scary. Eric was upset, Calleigh was upset, and he was pretty sure he should be, too.

"Calleigh?" He grasped her hand in his. "Elena, she be okay?"

"Oh, Pablo." Calleigh squatted down and looked him in the eye before he climbed into the backseat of Eric's car. "I don't know, honey. We'll do everything we can, I promise."

"She not sick in America." He affirmed with a nod. "She okay."

Calleigh wished she could be so certain.

She drove as quickly as she felt was appropriate, seeing as though there was a small child in the back of her car – which happened to be five miles per hour under the posted speed limit. Pulling into a parking space at the emergency room, she realized she had no idea which hospital Eric had instructed the paramedics to take Elena to. She'd driven blindly to the children's hospital, just assuming that he'd demand the best care. The most specialized. It just seemed like something Eric would do.

"Come on." She opened the door for Pablo. "Let's go find your sister."

Together, hand in hand, the ran into the hospital and up to the front desk. "Excuse me, is there an Elena Palacio here? Four years old? About yea high?" She indicated approximate height with her hand. "Brown hair? Big brown eyes?"

"Who are you?" The harried-looking nurse at the desk eyed her critically.

"Calleigh Duquesne." She huffed with annoyance. Like it mattered!

"She's in curtain four." The nurse smiled at her.

"That way?" Calleigh pointed.

"I'll have Debbie take you right back." The nurse gestured for a young orderly to come over.

"Debbie, hon, take these people to curtain four, will you?"

"Right this way" She pointed with a smile. "Don't worry." She soothed. "Your daughter's in the best hospital in Miami. She'll be just fine."

Calleigh was so shocked by Debbie's assumption that Elena was her daughter that she forgot to correct her.

"Right in here!" She opened the curtain a bit and Calleigh peeked inside.

"Elena!" Pablo ran inside and grabbed his sister's hand. "Elena…"

Calleigh didn't hear the rest of the children's conversation, she was busy being enveloped in the warm, worried arms of one Eric Delko. "Mmmm. Eric." She tried to push him away. "Eric, what did the doctor say?"

"Hasn't been in to see her yet." He groaned, annoyed at the standard of care.

"Calleigh?" Elena questioned, holding her arms out to her. "Calleigh?"

"Oh, sweetie!" Calleigh sat on the edge of the thin, stiff mattress. "Come here." She closed her eyes as Elena cuddled up to her and calmed down just a little.

"Hello." A bespectacled man in his forties walked in and shook Eric's hand. "I'm Doctor Nguyen. What seems to be the problem today?"

"She was having trouble breathing." Calleigh smoothed Elena's hair away from her face. "She turned a blue a little. She was crying, and then she couldn't breath…" She trailed off.

"Well," He took his stethoscope off from around his neck. "Let's see if we can't figure this out." He held out this stethoscope and moved nearer to Elena, but she just whimpered and clung to Calleigh.

"She doesn't like doctors." Eric offered, trying to be helpful, but a little choked up about the way Calleigh interacted with his cousin. "And she doesn't speak any English."

"Well then," Dr. Nguyen smiled at the frightened little girl. "Let's see if we can't be friends."

"I'll translate for you." Calleigh offered. "Can she be on my lap while you examine her?"

"That will work just fine, Mrs. Delko."

"Oh, I'm not…we're not…"

"Here we go." Eric picked Elena up so Calleigh could situate herself, kind of liking the way "Mrs. Delko" sounded as it rolled off the doctor's tongue.

"Okay, I'll take her now." She settled her against her and reached for the stethoscope. "Can I see that for a minute?"

"Of course." He handed her the instrument, smiling as she let Elena play with while she explained what it was for. "She can listen to her own heart." He suggested. "Children like to do that sometimes."

"Pablo, come here." Calleigh beckoned to the small boy. "Let's listen to your heart first." Calleigh let Pablo listen to his own heart, then Elena listened to it. "Tú ahora." She offered it to Elena, putting the stethoscope over Elena's ears and holding it to her heart first. "Ahora su corazón." She held Elena's hand as she put the bell to Elena's heart so she could listen.

"¡Lo oigo!" She exclaimed happily. "Pablo, escuche."

"Go ahead." Eric urged. "It's okay."

"Can I listen now, Elena?" Dr. Nguyen asked, waiting patiently while Calleigh translated his request.

"Sí." Elena smiled happily.

"Okay!"

Elena held very still a little apprehensively, holding Calleigh's hand like a vice while the doctor listened to her breath and her heart beat.

"Okay." The doctor stood up and looked gravely at Eric and Calleigh. "I'm going to run a few tests to be sure, but I think I heard a heart murmur."

"A murmur?" Eric took a step forward. "What's that?"

"Well," Dr. Nguyen tried to reassure him. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. It could be nothing. I just want to run an EKG, draw some blood, that sort of thing."

"How bad is a heart murmur?" Calleigh ran her fingers over Elena's hair. "Is that something that needs…"

The doctor cut her off before she could finish her question. "Now let's just run the tests, then we'll worry about the rest okay?"

"Sure. Sure." Calleigh bounced Elena on her lap, concern emanating off her in waves.

"The nurse will be in to draw some blood."

"Why didn't the doctor catch this yesterday?" Calleigh demanded. She was livid that some idiot doctor hadn't caught this earlier.

"I really can't say."

"I mean, you listened to her heart for what? A minute? And you heard it. Why didn't the doctor hear it yesterday. She had a checkup yesterday!"

"I really don't know, ma'am. I'm very sorry."

"Thank you, doctor." Eric shook his hand and reached for Pablo's. "Pablo?" He sat the boy down and tried to explain it to him.

"¡No!" Pablo shook his head vehemently. "She fine. In American she fine."

"What do you mean, kiddo?"

"Mamí say in America she fine. Her heart fine here."

"You mother said…?" He trailed off as he realized that Elena's doctor in Cuba knew there was something wrong with her heart.

"She say she be okay in America." Pablo persisted. "She not sick. She okay."

"She knew." His eyes met Calleigh's. "Their mother knew. That's why she sent them here."

"So she could get the best care." Calleigh finished softly, a little in awe of Pablo and Elena's mother and what she was willing to do for them. "Does their grandfather know?"

"My mom would have said something about it if she knew, and he would have said something to her."

"She knew he'd never let them go if he knew Elena was sick."

"My mom!" Eric jumped up and grabbed his cell phone. "I have to call my mom!"

"Why don't you wait until we have something definitive to tell her." Calleigh suggested. "That way you don't worry her for nothing."

"Have you ever met my mother?" Eric grinned cheekily, knowing Clorinda Delko would not take to being left out of the loop. "I have to call her now. Get ready to meet the rest of the Delko clan."

"Clan?"

"She's bringing everyone we're related to, and probably a few who aren't."

"How do you know?" Calleigh didn't understand. He hadn't even called the woman yet.

"Just trust me." He assured her. "I know." He slipped outside to make a phone call.

Pablo climbed up on the hospital bed and held his sister's hand. "Is her heart still hurt?" He was a little confused. His mother told him she'd be well in America. Slowly, as Calleigh explained it to him, he started to understand. She wasn't magically cured by America, but the doctors here could fix her. Or so Calleigh hoped. But she didn't say that part to Pablo. She was literally shaking inside at the prospect of this little angel being sick.

The nurse came to draw blood, causing Elena to cry and Calleigh as well. For a moment, Calleigh thought Pablo was going to punch the nurse for making his sister cry.

"Okay." The doctor returned an infinite number of what seemed like hours later. "Let's get this EKG done and see what's going on. I'll need you to lay her down on the bed, Mrs. Delko." He instructed.

"Duquesne." She corrected. "It's Duquesne."

"Oh, my." He blushed a little. "I'm terribly sorry." He paused a little and nodded to the child on her lap. "Can you lay her down now?"

Eric felt himself tear up as Calleigh spoke so softly to Elena as she stood and situated the child on the bed.

"Can I at least hold her hand?" She asked the doctor.

"No, ma'am." He shook his head understandingly. "I'm sorry. It will interfere with the results."

"Okay." She felt herself choke up a little as she bent over and kissed little Elena's forehead, explaining what was going to happen, promising it wouldn't hurt.

Eric, apparently, had a very clear read on his mother. She showed up with half the population of the greater Miami area in tow. They waited patiently, or as patiently as they could, in the waiting room, pacing back and forth.

Finally, after what seemed like a hundred tests and several days later, the doctor took Calleigh and Eric aside.

"Elena has what is called ventricular septal defect." He told them softly.

"What's that?" Eric hated doctor-speak. "What's that mean?"

"There is a hole in the walls of Elena's heart in between the ventricles."

Calleigh wrapped her arms around Eric, unable to stem the flow of tears at the thought of that precious little girl being sick.

"Can it be fixed?" There were words that came after , but all Calleigh and Eric heard was "surgery." Little Elena was going to have heart surgery. Heart surgery. Someone was going to knock her unconscious and rip open her chest and cut into her heart. It was horrible. The most horrible thing either one of them could imagine, and no one could do anything to stop it.

"Aren't there any other options?" Calleigh composed herself enough to think. "Other treatments? Medications? Physical therapy for the heart? We could try cardio! I'll exercise with her. We can make it stronger!"

Eric hadn't realized just how much his cousin meant to Calleigh until he heard her pleas to the doctor. Looking down at her, he pressed a loving kiss to the top of her head. There weren't actually words for him to express how he was feeling about her right now.

"The hole will not repair itself." Dr. Nguyen tried to console who he perceived to be the parents. "Surgery is the only option. I'm sorry."

"When?" Eric met the doctor's eyes. "When is she going to have surgery?"

"I'll schedule it for tomorrow morning."

"That soon?" He wasn't sure he liked the pace of this. There were still second opinions to consider. Find the best hospital. The best surgeons. The best…he realized he had no way to pay for this. She wasn't legally his…or anyone else's in this country for that matter. She wasn't listed on anyone's insurance.

"She doesn't have health insurance!" He blurted out. "I don't know how to pay for this."

Doctor Simon Nguyen looked accusingly at the well-dressed people standing in front of him. "No insurance?"

Calleigh knew what he was thinking, and she repressed the urge to shoot him. "You know the children that were on the news a few days ago? Boat from Cuba with two kids missing?"

"I remember reading something about that in the newspaper, yes."

"Elena and Pablo are the children." Eric finished her thought for her. "They're my cousins, and no one has decided if they're going to be able to stay here or not. So you see?"

"I see." He frowned thoughtfully for a moment. "I'll speak to the board and see if something can't be arranged. I'm going to admit her for the night. Have the nurses call me if you need anything. I'm on call tonight, so I'll be around to check on her."

"Thank you." Eric smoothed Calleigh's hair down and rubbed her shoulder as the doctor walked away. "She'll be fine, Cal."

"You don't know that." Calleigh was ever practical. Pragmatic. She hated empty promises, even if they were well-intentioned. There was no way for him to know if Elena was going to be fine. He didn't know. The doctor's didn't know. She didn't know.

"I want to see her." Calleigh pushed herself away from Eric and spun around, stalking back to the room.

"I'm going to talk to my mom." He said to the empty space that Calleigh had just vacated.

____________________________________________________

Translations:

Tú ahora – You now.

Ahora su corazón – Now your heart.

¡Lo oigo! – I hear it!

Pablo, escuche. – Pablo, listen!

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Now it's time to review!


	12. Perfection

Author's Note: not much to say. Read. Review. Enjoy. Have a great weekend.

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Eric spoke with his mother, and his myriad of relatives, and quickly found himself surrounded by hugs and well-wishes.

"Mijo." His mother kissed his cheek. "Your sisters and I are going to pray." He had expected this from her. He could always count on his mother for that.

"Thank you, Mami."

"Do you need anything, baby?"

"Would you watch Pablo? I don't want to leave Elena alone tonight." The thought of his little Elena all alone in the hospital all night long broke his heart. He wasn't sure how many of the nurses spoke Spanish, and with Elena's lack of English comprehension it just seemed to add up to a very frightening night for the child. He was exhausted, but there was no way he'd get any sleep at home – at Calleigh's home, he corrected himself. He wouldn't get any sleep at Calleigh's home, and it was a given that she wasn't going to be pried away from the little girl.

"I'll watch him." Pavel volunteered. "I wouldn't mind some time with the boy. Give us a chance to get to know each other."

Eric's features softened at the thought of his father teaching Pablo how to tie knots and mix vinegar, baking soda, and red and yellow food coloring together for a real, live volcano. Pablo would love it. "Thank you, Papi."

"It is my pleasure." Pavel embraced his son warmly. "Where can I find this Pablo?"

"I want to see Elena, too." His mother piped up. She'd fallen in love with the little girl, with her dark brown hair and her mocha-colored skin. She was the spitting image of her mother at that age, and the likeness made Clorinda ache for her home, reminding her of all the things she missed about Cuba. The food. The beauty. The music. The energy. Shaking her head, she followed her men down the hallway.

"Elena," Eric began, but stopped short.

"Look who's here to see you!" Calleigh cooed, forgetting for a second that Elena didn't understand what she'd said. "They're moving her upstairs in a few minutes."

"We just want to say 'hello.'" Clorinda smiled at her son's friend. She'd met Calleigh a few times, but she had never endeared herself quite as much as she was right this instant. Elena was very obviously comfortable and happy sitting on Calleigh's lap talking happily to her brother.

"Elena," Clorinda got her attention and spoke softly to her for a few moments before giving her a hug goodbye. Pablo was reluctant to leave his sister, and was only convinced by Eric when he promised to never once leave her alone. Pablo received his good bye hugs from Calleigh and Eric, squeezed his sister affectionately, and left hand in hand with Clorinda and Pavel.

"He's quite the little man." Calleigh observed after the company had departed.

"Yeah." Eric agreed rather distractedly.

"You okay?"

"'Bout as good as you, I figure." He tickled Elena for a second before glancing at Calleigh. "Can I have her?"

"Of course." She loosened her grip and watched as Eric lifted his cousin high in the air and made her giggle. "Careful." She cautioned. "She's hooked up to machines still."

"I'll be careful, Mom." He teased, settling down on the bed beside Calleigh and continuing his tickle assault.

Elena shrieked with glee, oblivious to the situation surrounding her.

"Have you told her yet?"

Calleigh frowned at his query. "No." She felt cowardly admitting it, but she didn't have the heart to tell Elena about the surgery yet. "I was going to borrow some crayons from the nurses and try to explain it to her once she's settled upstairs."

Eric thought about her plan for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Probably take it better from you."

"Are you upset with me?" Calleigh couldn't identify the hitch in his voice, but she supremely hoped it wasn't because of the relationship she'd forged with Elena over the past few days.

"No. No. Not at all." He hesitated for a moment. "It's just…I…I wish…I don't know what I wish." He hung his head glumly.

"I wish that she didn't have a hole in her heart." Calleigh confessed. "I wish her mother was here to comfort her. I wish she didn't have to have surgery tomorrow. I wish the fate of these two had already been decided, and I wish they'd be allowed to stay here."

"Yeah." He sighed, amazed at the depth of emotion Calleigh had just displayed. "Me, too."

They were both silent for a moment, unsure of what to say next, but the silence was broken by the entrance of a nurse and a few orderlies.

"We're going to move Miss Elena here up to her new room." They bustled around the room, readying things, unhooking machines.

"Can we stay with her?" Eric held Elena's hand tenderly, wishing he knew what to say to reassure her.

"Of course." The nurse affirmed. "It's good for the children to have their parents around when they're in the hospital."

Neither one bothered to correct the nurse this time. It just wasn't worth it anymore to try to explain the family dynamics…and Calleigh.

"This is your new room!" The nurse cheered brightly as they wheeled her through the door. "Aren't you going to say something?"

"Elena doesn't speak English." Calleigh frowned at the nurse before translating.

"Why?"

"We haven't taught her yet." Eric snipped, annoyed. As if it was any of the nosy nurse's business. He didn't feel the need to explain himself.

"Well!" She huffed, and then fell silent as she watched Eric carefully lift his cousin from the tiny wheel chair and settle her under the covers of the hospital bed, pressing a tender kiss to her cheek. She paused before leaving, as if she was going to say something, and then thought better of it.

"I'm going to get some crayons." She hated the way her voice hitched at the end. She wanted to be strong. She wanted for all this to not bother her. But all she really wanted was to pick up Elena and hold her forever and shield her from everything. And Pablo. Precious Pablo. Such a dear child. A good brother. Precocious and curious and smart. For a split second, Calleigh let herself dream for a moment, and then shook her head, ridding herself of her silly daydreams.

"Got 'em!" She held up her stash, crayons and paper.

"Do you need anything?" Eric just realized that she was still in her work clothes. "I figured you were staying, so I just thought you might want something else to wear or…"

"That'd be great. Thanks."

"Just anything, or…?"

"Jeans. Shirt. Shoes. The basics." She didn't really care what she wore. "Could you get something for her, too?"

"What?"

"Pajamas. A blanket. Oh, and that bear I gave her." She thought for a moment. "Toothbrush. Toothpaste. Stuff."

"I'll take care of it." He promised. "I'll be back. You'll stay here with her?" He knew it was a stupid question, but hated to just assume.

"Of course."

"Okay." He hugged Elena, and stopped just short of hugging Calleigh, too. "I'll be right back." It was going to be a long night.

"Now, Elena." Calleigh settled herself on the bed next to the little girl. "Let's color." Her heart broke as Elena smiled at her so trustingly. So happy. Carefully, she drew a little girl, putting a heart in the middle of the chest. She drew a hole inside of the heart and put a frown on the girl's face as tears sprang behind her eyes. Steeling herself, she took a deep breath and explained to Elena that the little girl in the picture was her. She had a hole in her heart, and the doctors were going to fix it.

"¿Por qué?" She was too young to understand.

"Baby girl." Calleigh sighed. "I wish I knew."

__________________________________________________

"What's this?" Eric grinned when he came back a few hours later. "I always wondered what girls did at slumber parties."

"Well, I can promise you, it's not what you think." The seductive sound of her voice made his heart quicken a little.

"What, no truth or dare?"

"No." She raised one eyebrow at him. "And no pillow fights in our underwear, either!"

"Awww, now why'd you have to go say that?" Eric teased her, taking a seat on the edge of the hospital bed. "Can't you leave me any fantasies?"

"Big fantasy of yours, huh?" Her voice was stern, but her eyes were dancing.

"Maybe." Two could play at that game. It was only then that he noticed Elena had been crying. "Did you tell her?"

"Yeah." She whispered. She'd cried, too, but she'd covered it up well.

"¡Mire qué trajo!" He grinned at Elena, pulling out the teddy bear.

"¡Gracias!" Elena held out her arms and hugged her bear.

"I got her pajamas, too." He handed them to Calleigh. "And a blanket. I thought it would make her feel more at home."

Calleigh smiled at him, but her expression was unrecognizable. He'd never seen it before.

"Thank you." She whispered, thinking once more that he'd be a great father. She hadn't lied when she'd said it to him a few years ago, she just didn't realize how true it really was. "I'll help her change now."

"Should I leave?" He wasn't sure what the protocol should be.

"Eric, she's four!"

"Still."

"Sure." She was touched at his concern for Elena's privacy. "We'll just be a minute."

"I'm going to see if they have ice cream at the cafeteria."

"She can't have anything to eat." Calleigh stopped him. "They said her stomach has to be empty for the surgery."

"But…" His face fell. "She's…she's just…she's little. They won't let her eat?"

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." He left the room dejectedly, feeling helpless.

Calleigh quickly changed Elena into her own clothes, carefully avoiding all the wires attached to her to monitor her heart. She carefully tucked her under the worn sheets that had probably been white at one time, and draped the pink blanket around her. Eric hadn't just brought her a blanket; he'd purchased one especially for her. The robe and slippers she found in the bag also had tags on them. She rummaged some more until she found a children's book.

"¿Tú quisiera que le leyera una historia?" She questioned.

"Sí." Elena nodded, happy to have everyone's attention, but still a little nervous about what Calleigh had told her.

"Okay." Settling herself on the bed beside Elena, Calleigh pulled the girl up just a tad, wrapped her arm around her, and started to read.

_____________________________________________________

This was how Eric found them a few minutes later, Elena was half asleep, eyes opening and closing as she fought to hear the end, and Calleigh. Calleigh, in all her glory, completely comfortable and relaxed snuggled against the little girl, reading her a story in softly accented Spanish. The sight stirred emotions in Eric, made him remember what he'd said to his doctor earlier that afternoon.

_"What brings you in today, Eric?" Dr. Smigelski asked as he took a seat across the room._

_"I just have a lot of stuff going on, that's all." It was always difficult to know where to start in these sessions. All the open-ended questions, the scribbling as he spoke. It still made him a little nervous. Uneasy._

_"What kind of stuff?"_

_"Just." He trailed off, not really wanting to divulge his whole miserable life story to the new doctor. "Do you know I've never met my father?" That was a start, at least. And it had the added benefit of forcing the man to answer a question for once, not just ask one._

_"We've spoken at length about your father." Dr. Smigelski protested. "I have it all right…" He flipped through his notes. "Here."_

_"That man is not my father."_

_"How do you mean?"_

_"My father was my mother's boss at the factory back in Cuba. Not Pavel Delektorsky."_

_"And you think that this new revelation makes him less of a father to you?"_

_"Not really." He didn't. Not anymore. "It's just….my cousin died recently." That was true, if not terribly relevant._

_"Were you close?"_

_"Never met her."_

_"Okay?"_

_"A boat…a raft, really, came ashore the other day. Refugees from Cuba."_

_"Did that make you think of your family's journey?"_

_"No. That's not it." He took a deep breath. These sessions were always uncomfortable. "My cousins were on it."_

_"And she died during the trip."_

_"No." He would have smiled at the confused look on the doctor's face, but he figured it would be bad form. "But her children were."_

_"Children?" Dr. Smigelski nodded. He had an annoying habit of doing that, like was approving what Eric had said to him. "Have you met them?"_

_"They're staying with me."_

_It finally dawned on the psychologist what his patient was trying to tell him. "And it's like having a family all of a sudden."_

_"I'm staying with a friend." That was an understatement._

_"Who is this friend?"_

_"Calleigh."_

_Calleigh was a topic with which the doctor was very familiar. She was sort of a favorite topic of conversation for Eric. If he was ever having trouble drawing information out of his patient, he just mentioned Calleigh. Asked how she was doing. How she was handling the caseload. How he and Calleigh were getting along. It never failed. His face lit up, he smiled, and his eyes misted over with this far-away look. She brightened his day; that much was for sure._

_"How does she feel about the children?"_

_"She came to get me the other night. Before the kids. I was staying at this motel." And out it poured. All the gritty details. The shooting. The murders. The tail. The fight. He and Calleigh yelling at each other in the rain. Calleigh crying a little – for him. Following her home. Dreaming about her. Watching her with his cousins. "It's too much." He confessed. "It's too perfect. It won't last."_

_"What won't last?"_

_"This!" He insisted, waving his hand around. "We had breakfast the other morning. The first morning. Just the two of us. Nothing special, just cereal. I thought that was perfect."_

_"And now it isn't?"_

_"No." Eric shook his head. "This morning it was perfect."_

_"Tell me about it." The doctor urged._

_And he did. He recounted how he'd come into the kitchen to find Pablo drinking orange juice by the sink and Elena hanging onto Calleigh's neck as she moved around the kitchen fixing breakfast. He told the doctor how she'd poured the children's cereal, sat the little girl down carefully, and kissed the top of her head. He told him how all the affection, the love, that he'd suspected she kept so tightly bottled up inside of her came pouring out when she was with his cousins. She'd fixed Elena's hair, helped her stop crying when his mother came to pick them up. She'd spent time with Pablo the night before, just talking to him, drinking hot chocolate with him. Making him feel special and safe. He told him about the ice cream and movies later that night. How great it had been to just sit on her sofa and ingest hundreds of sugary calories watching endless movies while she ate from his ice cream container._

_"I just…" He didn't want to say it out loud. "It's nice. I don't want it to end." There. It was done. He'd said it._

_"How do you know it will?"_

_"Calleigh doesn't feel the same way about me." He sighed, face turning sullen and steely for a moment. "And I don't know what's going to happen to Pablo and Elena. They might send them back to Cuba, but even if they get to stay, no one will let me keep them."_

_"Do you want to?"_

_"Keep them?"_

_"Yes."_

_"I think I do." He didn't just think. He knew. "I mean, I know it would be hard by myself, but they've sort of…grown on me, you know?"_

_"You feel attached to them? Responsible for them?"_

_"You haven't met them." Eric shook his head. "You can't help but love them. They're too sweet."_

_"Why couldn't you keep them, then?"_

_"Come on." Sometimes therapists could be so dense. "Single guy. No girlfriend. Busy job. I work crazy hours. No judge is going to award custody to me."_

_"What about Calleigh?"_

_"She's not family." He shook his head, not quite understanding where Dr. Smigelski was going with this. "They should stay with family, if not me."_

_"I mean, do you think Calleigh would want to keep them?"_

_"She's not family."_

_"She could be."_

_Eric tilted his head and glared at the therapist for a moment. "Sure. I'll just walk up to her say, "Hey, Calleigh. Since I've got these two kids now, why don't we get hitched? That way I can keep them, and they won't have to go back to Cuba." I'm sure that'll go over well."_

_"Or, you could try telling her the truth."_

_"The truth?"_

_"How you feel about her."_

_"She knows."_

_"You've told her, then?"_

_"No, but she knows." Her words rang in his mind, though, even as he assured the doctor._ "I need to hear you say it."

_"Why don't you tell her?" Dr. Smigelski suggested. "Out loud."_

_He thought about it for a moment. "Maybe I will."_

This could be his chance, he thought to himself.

"Want me to take that?" He pointed to the book, noting how Elena was fast asleep.

"Here." She smiled her thanks and handed over the object. "She's a sleepy little girl."

"She's had a big day." He sat in the chair opposite the bed and shifted, trying to get comfortable. "You gonna stay there?"

"I'm afraid that if I move, she'll wake up." Calleigh confessed. "I read that book four times trying to get her to sleep in the first place." She picked up the bed remote and pressed the button to recline the mattress until it was flat. "I'll just stay here for a few minutes. Make sure she's good and asleep."

"Okay." It wasn't like he had anywhere to go. Watching her eyes, he focused, mesmerized. She rolled onto her side and wrapped her other arm around the small girl in her arms, hugging her against her body. Slowly, Eric watched as she drifted off to sleep, too. He'd been wrong that afternoon. THIS…this was perfect.

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Translation

¿Tú quisiera que le leyera una historia?" : Do you want me to read you a story?

A/N: That's if for now. R/R!


	13. Vital Signs

Author's Note: I don't really have much to say. Thank you to everyone who took the time to review! I really appreciate all the reviews! Here's another chapter. I'm tired of studying!

Also: GO CARDINALS!!

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Eric was dozing fitfully in the uncomfortable plastic chair when a rustling sound awakened him.

"Whoa, whoa! What are you doing?" He shot out of the chair and came very close to physically restraining a frightened-looking nurse.

"I have to take her vitals, sir." The young woman's voice waivered a little.

"She's sleeping." He snapped. "Can't you get them later."

"We have to take them every hour." She tried to sound authoritative, but it just came out sounding whiny.

"She's hooked up to enough machines." Eric was not about to be dissuaded. "Just read the monitors."

"Yes, sir, but those can only tell us so much. I need her temperature, her blood pressure, I have to do a neurologic function exam. I can't do those while she's asleep."

"Heart rate – right there." Eric hissed angrily, pointing at a monitor. "Get one of those ear thermometers to take her temperature. She has blood pressure, that's what that is." He gestured to a readout of Elena's heart rate. "And her neurologic functioning is SLEEPING right now. Do you have any idea how long it took her to get Elena to sleep?" He pointed at a sleeping Calleigh, arms still wrapped securely around the sleeping bundle.

"I'm sorry, sir." She seemed to be finding her backbone now. "But those are the rules. I'm just doing my job."

"She's having surgery tomorrow, and you can't just let her sleep?" Eric was incredulous. This was outrageous.

"Yes, sir." The nurse reached out her hand and only hesitated for a split second as Eric continued to glare at her in the darkness. "Oh, and your wife is going to have to move, too. She can't sleep here."

At this, Eric responded. "She can sleep wherever she wants, and I suggest you deal with that, miss."

This was one battle Nurse Sandy knew she was going to lose. Truthfully, she'd always thought that rule was silly anyway. "Fine. I won't say anything. But I can't guarantee some of the other nurses will be as lenient."

"That'll be fine." At least he won one battle tonight. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She turned back to her task, shaking Elena lightly. "Elena. Elena. You have to wake up for me now."

Irritated, Eric moved behind the nurse and translated her requests softly. Calleigh, annoyed at the intrusion into her dreams pulled Elena more snugly against her and mumbled something incoherent, frowning slightly, then relaxing once more. Eric thought she looked adorable.

"There's nothing quite like a mother's love, is there?" Sandy asked with a smile.

"No, ma'am." He agreed quietly, awed once more at the depth of her compassion for the children they'd just met. "There really isn't."

"You two adopted her?" Sandy wasn't dense. Elena's complexion was darker than that of the handsome man in front of her, and it just didn't seem likely that she was biologically related to the pale, blonde woman caring for her.

"No." He shook his head. "She's my little cousin. I'm trying to get custody."

"Well, it looks like she'll be well-loved. What a lucky little girl."

"And boy." He added quickly. "Her older brother."

"That's nice. You're going to keep them together."

Eric found that to be an odd reaction, but held his tongue as she went back to trying to awaken the sleeping child. Elena's response to being rudely awakened and having her arm compressed in a blood pressure cuff with a thermometer stuffed in her mouth was almost comical, as Eric's mother had warned him many times in the past to NEVER wake a sleeping child. Elena wailed. Loudly. He reached out to comfort her, touched as she held her arms out to him as well.

"Lo siento, querida." He soothed, smoothing her hair off her face. "Shhh. It's okay." He picked her, touched when she wrapped her little arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck. He could do this. He could take care of them, love them. It was what their mother wanted, and he could grant his dead cousin that much. He would fight for her children.

Calleigh didn't take too kindly to being awakened anyway, but she was more embarrassed at having fallen asleep in the first place.

"Oh!" She shot out of the bed at lightening speed, turning shades of red Eric hadn't known were physiologically possible. "You woke her up?" She glared at the nurse accusingly.

Eric watched the exchange with a knowing grin hidden behind Elena's head. He knew she'd be mad if the nurse woke Elena up. He'd managed to calm her down considerably, mostly because she was more surprised than anything else.

"I have to get her vitals every hour." Nurse Sandy huffed. These two were quite a pair.

"She's having surgery in the morning. SURGERY!" She stressed it again, as if the woman didn't know. "Can't you just let her rest?"

Sandy stared at Calleigh for a moment and left the room abruptly without responding. Honestly, who were these people?

"They woke her up to take her temperature and her blood pressure? Really? Was that necessary?"

Eric tried to hide the smile, but failed. "I know. I had the same argument when she came in. I lost."

"It took me forever to get her to sleep." She moaned, praying it would be faster this time.

"Give me a minute." Eric's voice was hushed as he swayed back and forth gently. "I think she's almost out."

"Seriously?" Calleigh crossed the room to look for herself. Sure enough, Elena's grip on Eric's neck was loosening and her eyes were drooping closed. Soon enough, she'd be fast asleep again. "You're good." She approved.

"Lots of practice."

"Clearly."

"Lay back down if you want." Eric suggested, voice barely a whisper. "I'll put her back down when she falls asleep."

"I can sit here." She moved to drop into one of the chairs, wincing internally as her backside noted how uncomfortable it was.

"Seriously, Cal, you'll be way more comfortable on the bed."

"I had a couple of hours. I'm good."

"You were asleep for like, forty minutes." Eric knew she'd fight him on this. She just wouldn't be Calleigh if she didn't. He loved that about her, though. She always stood up for herself – didn't let anyone push her around. That inner strength had been one of the things that attracted him to her in the first place. She wasn't like the other girls that he knew. She didn't play dumb or act the damsel in distress to get a man's attention. She was competent and confident, and he found that so…alluring. Still, she was going to need some sleep, and he knew it. "Calleigh," He tried to move closer to her so he could speak softer, but the wires were only so long. "Come on. Just lay down."

"You take the bed." She suggested. "She seems to enjoy being with her Uncle Eric. Or cousin Eric. Whatever." She grinned at him, lopsided and tinged with sleep.

It was tempting. His back was killing him. His neck hurt even more. And his rear end was kind of numb from sitting in one position for so long. "I can't." He knew Calleigh would understand his hesitancy.

"Eric, it's fine." She stood and patted the arm that was wrapped around Elena's back. "You're not some child molester. You're her guardian, and you'd die before you let anything hurt her. You never climbed into bed with your parents during a storm?"

"Well, sure, but I'm not her parent."

Calleigh eyed him critically, taking in the sight. He had balanced Elena on one arm close against his chest. The other was rubbing soothing circles on her back as she slept. The weight of the little girl caused all the muscles in his biceps to bulge, and Calleigh had to drag her eyes up to his face to keep from staring. It was a precious sight. "You might not have contributed to her paternity, but you're as close to a parent as she's got right now. Trust me."

"We can share." It was a long shot, but he had to try. "I'll keep my hands to myself. You don't have to worry about me."

His hands were the last things she was worried about. Hers on the other hand…this might not be a great idea. "It's kind of small." She pointed to the thin strip of a mattress.

"If we put the rails up we'll be fine."

She had to admit, he had a point. They would both be far more comfortable, and the entire staff seemed to think that they were married, really no one would think anything. It would look like two parents staying with their sick daughter. Their sick daughter. Their daughter.

"Sure." Damn. When had she commanded her mouth to say that? Had her tongue developed a mind of its own?

"Give me a hand?" Calleigh moved to the other side and raised the rails, and then helped Eric lower Elena to the bed, cover her up, and tuck her in. "You're good at this." She observed.

"I like kids."

"She likes you, too."

Eric bit back the smile that her complement brought to his lips. That was a good sign, right?

"I'm going to get some more blankets." Before Calleigh could respond, he was out the door and hunting down a nurse or anyone with a pulse to give him some extra blankets.

Carefully arranging her self beside Elena, Calleigh bent her arm under her head as a pillow, and watched the little girl sleep. She could have this. She was old enough. She could have kids older than this. Christ, she could have a teenager by now, but apparently, that wasn't in the cards for her. Caring for Eric's cousins was a bittersweet treat for her. She loved children, but doubted she'd ever have her own. Her biological clock was ticking away, and she was no closer to finding "Mr. Right" than she was to solving unified theory. Well, maybe she was a little closer to the whole unified theory thing. Finding a good man was like dividing by zero: it's just not possible.

"Here." Eric draped a warm blanket around her.

"This is really warm!" She remarked.

"They keep them in some kind of warmer." He moved around the rail and lowered his own body down to the mattress. It was cramped. He and Calleigh both had to lay on their sides so as to not crowd Elena. "You comfy?"

"I'm fine." She just wouldn't be Calleigh if she didn't say that.

"You sure?"

"Really, Eric. I'm fine." She glanced up at his face and smiled. "How about you?"

"I've just gotta…" He squirmed a bit and moved an arm out from underneath of him. "I have to move my arm…"

"Oh." Calleigh scooted down a little so he could extend the aforementioned limb. "Better?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"Warm enough?"

"I've got my own blanket." He drew the warm cloth around him with one arm. "G'night, Cal."

"Night." She smiled thoughtfully, then turned her attention to the slumbering child between them. "Sweet dreams, little one." She whispered before closing her eyes.

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"Maria! Maria, look at this." Sandy gestured to her friend. "Come here, quick."

Maria trotted down the hallway and gasped at the scene in the hospital room. Mother, father, and daughter were fast asleep, cuddled together in one hospital bed. Elena had wiggled her way half on top of Calleigh, who'd been forced to roll onto her back to accommodate the child. Eric had stretched his arm across them both, drawing them to him and burying his face in Calleigh's hair, and Elena's tiny hand was resting on top of his forearm as it wrapped around the two girls.

"That's so sweet!" Maria cooed. "What a cute family! Do we have to wake them up?" She knew it was time for vitals, but this was just too precious for words.

"I think I'll fudge them this hour." Sandy's eyes were fixed on the couple in front of her. "They weren't too happy when I woke her up the last time. We can just let them sleep for now, right?"

"I won't tell!"

"Me either."

"Where's the camera? The one we use for kids when they get discharged?"

"I'll get it!" Sandy dashed off to the nurse's station to grab the Polaroid. "Here. You take it."

Maria snapped a picture quickly, shaking it speed up the development process. "Look at that!"

"Adorable."

"I'm going to leave it for them." She tiptoed into the room and left the photo on top of Eric's jacket.

"So sweet."

"Yeah." The nurses parted ways, each one having way too many things to do to stand and watch. Besides, it was so intimate that they both felt a little bad just standing and watching. Eric opened his eyes and smiled. He'd awakened a moment ago, and had heard parts of the exchange. It had been a shock to find Calleigh snuggled partially against him, but it was a nice shock. Pleasant. He couldn't wait to see that picture. Frame that picture. If Pablo was here the picture would be complete. It would look like mom, dad, son, daughter. All they would need was a dog. That would require a different picture…maybe a white dress and flowers and…he drifted back off to sleep with sweet, sweet dreams.

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That's all for now. R/R!!!!!!!


	14. In Heaven

Author's Note: I spent the morning trying valiently to not puke my guts out...and failed. So, I gave up on school for the day. I'll study in a minute, as soon as I'm hydrated enough to stand up and not fall over immediately. Ahhh. Hypovolemia. It sucks to be sick! Anywho! Who else loved the ending to last night's episode? Finally! This has nothing to do with that, but I thought I'd contribute my little chappie anyway. Here's to some E/C love! Thank you to my lovely reviewers! You're all my favorite people! Wish me luck studying! I have a HUGE anatomy exam later this week that I am SO far from being prepared for. I did NOT need to be sick today! Argh. I'll be fine. A little water and some vitamin C, and I'll be good as new. Maybe some ginger tea. Hmmmm. Gotta go boil water and cut up some ginger. Have a lovely day and REVIEW after reading! (por favor)

Also, it was suggested that I include the translation in italics and parenthesis immediately following the Spanish. This seems like a good suggestion, so I did. If you don't like it or the Spanish isn't perfect...too bad. I did my best.

That's all.

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A persistent poking awakened Eric the next morning. Apparently the nurses had left them alone for the rest of the night; a fact for which he was eternally grateful. Wincing with the effort, he forced his eyes open, only to be met with the sight of similar brown eyes, wide open and staring at him.

"Morning, sweetie." He murmured in English when he realized Elena was the person poking him. "Go back to sleep, honey. It's early."

The poking continued. Finally, unable to ignore it any longer, he opened his eyes fully and took in the sight once more. Elena was still secure in Calleigh's loving embrace, and both the girls were wrapped in his. Elena was smiling at him brightly and happily, and her lips were moving. It took his brain a few seconds to process the fact that she was speaking, a second more to realize her words were in Spanish, and a split second more for the reality of them to penetrate his brain. She had to go to the bathroom.

"Okay, baby girl. Just a second." He carefully replaced a pillow where his arm had been beneath Calleigh's head, and untangled himself from the blanket. Climbing over the side rails of the hospital bed; he quickly padded around to the other side and carefully extricated Elena from Calleigh's grasp. "Up you go." He lifted her out of bed, settling her carefully on her feet, frowning as she gasped at the cold tile.

"Un segundo." _(One second) _He grabbed the slippers he'd purchased for her and bent to help her put them on. "¿Quiere su traje? _(Do you want your robe?) _She nodded, and he carefully slipped the warm, fuzzy pink garment on her. It was a size or two too big, and she kind of drowned in all the fabric, but she grinned and stroked its softness, a gigantic grin etching itself across her pretty face.

"¡Es suave!" _(It's soft!) _She exclaimed in hushed tones, mindful that Calleigh was still sleeping.

"Solamente la mejor para tú, amor." _(Only the best for you, sweetheart.)_ He held her hand and rolled the heart monitor toward the bathroom as they walked. "¿Es muy bien solo?" _(Are you okay alone?)_ Without all the machines, he knew she was old enough and more than capable of taking care of things herself, but he worried that she'd disconnect something or be scared…

"¡Soy una muchacha grande!" She announced with a frown, annoyed that he'd even think she needed help. _(I'm a big girl!)_

"That you are, honey." He wheeled the monitor into the bathroom, turned and stepped outside, leaning the door closed, but not shutting it all the way just in case. Waiting patiently, he turned and watched as Calleigh continued sleeping, blonde hair mussed lightly and spread over the pillow. Her face was relaxed and a small smile played on her features. He rarely saw her this unguarded, although those moments had been occurring with increasing frequency over the past few days. Pablo and Elena, it seemed, were a relaxing influence in her life, and she'd been more…at peace lately – or so it seemed. He wondered what she was dreaming.

The door creaked open to reveal a sleepy Elena, hair still kind of wild from sleep. "¡Hecho todo!" _(All done.)_ She announced, laughing as he swept her into the air and settled her on his arm.

Eric settled her on one of the chairs and instructed her to wait for him; he'd just be a moment. She sat patiently while he took care of nature and brushed his teeth, and then smiled when he lifted her up and sat her on is lap. They talked for a few minutes about her surgery, what was going to happen, how the doctors were going to fix her heart, and then she broke his heart. She asked for her mother. He wished his mother was there. He wished Calleigh was awake. He wished someone was able to explain to a four year old the concept of death. How do you tell someone that little that their mother isn't ever coming back?

Calleigh, unbeknownst to Eric, was awake and listening to their conversation. His response made her heart twist and her breath catch just a little as he promised the little girl that her mother loved her very much. She loved her so much, in fact, that she'd gone to heaven so she could look after her all the time. From heaven, she was able to make sure Elena and Pablo had a safe journey on the boat, she'd made sure Eric found them once they got to Florida. She'd made sure a good doctor figured out what was wrong with Elena's heart. And she was going to make sure the surgeon fixed her heart perfectly.

"¿Cuándo ella se volverá?" Innocent eyes implored him. _(When will she come back?)_

Calleigh couldn't take it any more. The whole thing was too unfair; the precious children's mother died. How could this happen? Pushing the blankets off, she swung her legs over the end of the bed and scooted off. Taking a seat beside Eric, she brushed Elena's hair down, trying to tame it, as Eric attempted to explain that you can't come back from heaven. Once you go, you're always there – looking after the people you love and protecting them. Much to Calleigh's surprise, Elena seemed to accept this answer. She didn't cry, didn't protest. She just nodded and leaned against Eric's chest.

"¿Ella le envió?" _(Did she send you?) _She questioned, craning her neck up to see his face.

"Sí." He nodded, pressing a kiss to her head. "I suppose maybe she did."

Elena didn't comment further for a moment as she contemplated what she'd been told. "¿Pablo va al cielo, también?" _(Is Pablo going to heaven, too?) _It made sense to her four year old mind. If her mama had left her, maybe her brother would, too.

"No, mi preciosa." _(No, my precious)._ What was left of his heart finished shattering at her innocent question.

"Poor baby." Calleigh reached out and stroked her cheek gently. "This has to be hard on them."

"Yeah." Eric agreed.

"Is your mother bringing Pablo by this morning?"

"She'll be here in a few minutes." He glanced at his watch. "I wanted to make sure they got to see each other before the surgery."

"Are they going to stay?"

"I think he'd just be bored."

"He might want to stay." She suggested. "I'll watch him. If he gets bored we'll take a walk or something."

"Yeah." He was too upset to really process her suggestion. "Sure."

"Good morning!" A new nurse breezed into the room, greeting them cheerfully. "Are we all ready for surgery this morning?"

Eric translated her question to Elena while Calleigh glared at the woman. Honestly, who asks that?

Rather than answering, Elena got shy and buried her face in Eric's shirt. "I think she's a little nervous." He stroked her hair gently and rubbed her back. "It's a lot to take in, you know?"

"It's always difficult when the little ones are sick." The nurse agreed. "I'm Anna, and I'll be with her through the whole thing. Does she speak English?" She'd been apprised of the situation with Elena, and knew she'd only been in America for a few days.

"No." Eric pulled her more securely against him. "Not yet."

Switching to near-perfect Spanish, Anna introduced herself to Elena, smiling encouragingly as she slowly turned her head and made eye contact.

"¡Mucho gusto, Elena!" _(Pleasure to meet you, Elena)_ Anna held out her hand to the little girl.

"Buenos días." _(Good morning.)_ She whispered with a shy smile, extending her hand as well.

Calleigh smiled as the nurse shook her hand. "Thank you." She meant it, too. If she couldn't be there, at least someone who could speak to her would be.

"It's my pleasure." She introduced herself to Calleigh and Eric as well. "I'll be with her the whole time, so if she has any questions before, I'll be glad to answer them. It can be difficult for the little ones, you know, to be without their parents, so we try to make sure they get comfortable with someone before they get wheeled away."

"Thank you so much." Eric rocked his little girl back and forth, grateful that the hospital was so accommodating, so thoughtful of the children.

"There she is!" Clorinda entered the room with a smile, hoards of family members trailing behind her. "There's my beautiful baby girl."

Elena's face brightened at the sight of her big brother, and she happily greeted him with a hug, telling him how she was getting her heart fixed and her mommy was going to watch from heaven.

Clorinda shot her son a puzzled look at this, but he just shrugged. "She wanted to know when she could see her mother. What was I supposed to tell her?"

"That was just precious, honey." She dropped a kiss to her son's forehead. "Just precious."

Calleigh hugged Pablo hello as well, and asked him if he'd like to stay for the duration of the surgery, to which he immediately agreed. Clorinda, of course, protested a little, thinking he was far too young to stay for such a long time, but Eric backed Calleigh's request.

"Do we really want to separate them for that long, Ma?" He ruffled Pablo's hair and smiled fondly at him. "They've been through so much together, if he wants to stay, why not? We'll take care of him."

"Well, I suppose." Secretly, she didn't mind that much. The change in her son's demeanor over the past few days was remarkable. He'd gone from sullen and bitter to the protective, loving parent in just a matter of days – and she loved it. She'd raised her son right, brought him up to be kind and respectful. She prayed that her decision to not disclose his paternity for so long wouldn't cause a permanent rift between them, and these beautiful children seemed to be mending the hole quite nicely. They also appeared to be filling a void in her son's life. He smiled more easily, radiated love and affection to them, and only she could detect the silent longing in his eyes – longing for a family of his own, children of his own to love and care for. He wanted this. He wanted them. It was the best gift a mother could ask for.

"We won't stay long, we just wanted to wish Elena good luck." Each family member took their turn hugging and kissing the little girl, giving her presents, flowers, and balloons. Most of them even brought gifts for Pablo, not wanting him to feel overlooked.

"Gracias." The children were overwhelmed with the outpouring of affection from total strangers. "Muchas gracias."

"You're welcome, my little darlings." Clorinda kissed them both, then kissed her son on both cheeks. "You know where I'll be if you need me. Keep me updated."

"I will, Ma. Thank you."

"You take care of my son for me, please." She hugged Calleigh, surprising her by kissing her as well.

"Of course, ma'am. I will."

"I know you will." She held Calleigh at arm's length for a moment, and then hugged her again. "I know you will."

With that, they were all gone, wishing them well and sending prayers as they left.

"Where will she be?" Calleigh questioned, helping Pablo open his new box of crayons.

"They're lighting every candle in the city." He grinned, only partially kidding.

"Candles?"

"They're going to church to pray."

"Oh." She understood now. "Oh. That's really sweet."

"It's what they do." Calleigh knew that Eric had a deeply-rooted faith, and she respected him for it – even envied him a little. This outward display of religious devotion warmed her. Family truly was the most important thing to him.

A tall man in scrubs and a long white coat entered the room and introduced himself to them. "Hello. I'm Dr. Johnson. I'll be the surgeon performing Elena's operation this morning. Do you have any questions about what's going to be happening?"

Calleigh and Eric bombarded the man with questions, both of them very concerned about the operation. When they were satisfied with their knowledge, they each shook his hand and watched as he left the room with a flourish.

"I talked to Alexx last night." Calleigh wrapped her arms around Pablo, who was sitting in her lap listening to the exchange. "She said he's the best in Miami."

"Good." Eric approved, but a lead weight had recently taken up residence in the pit of his stomach. How did parents handle this, he wondered? He'd just met Elena, and was a nervous wreck.

"Are you okay?" Calleigh reached out a hand and placed it on his.

"Just…worried." He confessed. If something happened…if something went wrong…he'd never be able to forgive himself.

"I know." She nodded. "Me, too."

"It's almost time." He glanced at his watch with a groan, then hugged the little girl in his lap even closer.

Calleigh smiled as Eric spoke to the children. The nurse they'd met earlier, Anna, came back into the room with a wheel chair, and Calleigh panicked for a second. She couldn't possibly do this. She couldn't let her go. She couldn't just hand that precious little girl over to a total stranger and let them cut into her heart. Logically, she knew she had to. The doctors were going to fix her, make her all better, but it just seemed cruel. Eric explained that it was time for Elena to go with the doctors and get better, and Pablo hugged his baby sister one last time.

Calleigh and Eric both had tears in their eyes as they said their goodbyes and hugged her, dropping kisses all over her face. They promised to be there when she woke up and hugged her once more before the little girl was wheeled away. Pablo's chin was quivering as Calleigh dropped to her knees and hugged him to her.

"She'll be okay, sweetie." She cooed, barely registering it as Eric's arms wrapped around them both. "She'll be fine. They're going to fix her heart."

The three of them cried for a moment, a necessary release of tension and anxiety, before Calleigh shook herself out of it. She had to be strong for them. She'd promised Clorinda Delko that she would take care of them, and she intended to keep that promise.

"I'm going to get coffee, do you want some?"

"Sure." Eric sniffed, not at all ashamed of crying in front of her.

"Pablo, do you want to come?"

He agreed, and they set off for the cafeteria hand in hand. It was going to be a long day.

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Now it's your turn to write something. R/R (winks)


	15. Dreams

Author's Note: Who hates physiology? (raises hand) I do! I do! And I'm tired of studying. Actually, I'm just plain tired. So, I took a break. Here's a new chapter. Thank you to everyone for reviewing and reading (especially if you read AND reviewed). Reviews make my day (and after the week I had, I could REALLY use some). So. Don't sue me. I don't own the characters...well, I own Elena and Pablo. But I'll sell them to you if you really want to use them. It'd be a great story line for the show...

That's all. Read. Review. Don't sue. Also, buckle up and don't drink and drive (as long as I'm dispensing advice, I may as well cover all the bases, right?). And look both ways before you cross the street. I'm done now.

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Eric sighed and shifted uncomfortably in the plastic chair. It seemed like Elena had been in surgery for days, but it had only been hours. A pile of waxed paper cups littered the table beside the hospital bed, evidence of hours spent in vigil with coffee and hot chocolate to pass the time. Calleigh was sitting cross-legged on the unoccupied hospital bed with Pablo playing go-fish or old maid; he wasn't paying close enough attention to discern. He was watching them, though. Their interactions. Their facial expressions. Their laughter.

"Go fish!" Pablo grinned widely at Calleigh, forcing her to draw another card.

Eric slid down a little further in the chair and watched Calleigh smirk at Pablo before reaching out gracefully and picking a card off the stack. They'd been at this for a while now – playing cards. They had pretty much exhausted Calleigh's knowledge of children's card games, and she was considering teaching him to play blackjack or poker. Was it possible to play kings in the corner with cards that have pictures of sea creatures on them? Pablo was winning the game, but then again, Calleigh wasn't trying that hard to win.

"Do you want anything? Either of you? Food? Coffee?"

"Ibuprofen." Calleigh nodded at him with a smile.

"Are you okay?" Eric shot out of the chair, concern evident on his face.

"Just a little headache."

"Are you sure? Do you need a doctor?"

"Eric," She smiled gently. "I'm just a little sore, that's all. A little Motrin will fix me right up."

"I'll be right back." He boldly reached out a hand and rubbed her shoulder as he left, leaving her feeling warm and fuzzy on the inside. Eric hated sitting because it made him feel helpless. It was like he was just waiting for something bad to happen – and he would not be able to stand it if something happened to Elena while he was just sitting. Yeah, sure, world-class doctors were operating on her, and mostly likely saving her life. He still hated being helpless. He just wanted to…ugh. He wanted that surgeon to tell him she was fine. The surgery is over. He wanted to see his little girl.

Perusing the gift shop, he spied a fuzzy pink stuffed elephant. Elena would love it. Snatching it up, he continued wandering around the cramped boutique. He grabbed some ibuprofen and tossed it into the basket with the elephant. He couldn't go back up to the room without something for Pablo, too. It just wouldn't be fair. The boy had been a very good sport about all this, too. He hadn't complained a bit, whined about being bored…nothing. Pablo seemed perfectly content to just sit and play cards with Calleigh, tic-tac-toe with Eric, hangman – in English – with both of them. When he was eight, he'd loved the zoo. The Seaquarium. The ocean. Maybe Pablo would like to go to the aquarium.

The candy aisle. Kids love candy. Perhaps Pablo would like some candy. Nothing like a little sugary treat to rot your teeth and lift your spirits. Grabbing a bag of M&Ms for Calleigh, gummy worms for Pablo, and a Charleston Chew for himself, he made his way to the checkout counter. Balloons. Elena should have more balloons, so he detoured to the balloon counter. It still seemed unequal. As the youngest in the family, he knew exactly what it was like to think all the attention was being showered on someone else. Pablo shouldn't feel like he is any less special just because he wasn't sick. He had to do something else for the boy. Eric had always wanted a son. He'd never told anyone that, but it was true. He wanted to teach a son to play baseball. Soccer. Swim. Throw a football. He wanted to help him with science projects and math homework. Teach him how to drive, and give him advice on his first date. Pablo might not be his biological son, but the distinction was rapidly blurring beyond recognition.

"Got you some tea to go with your pain killers." He handed Calleigh a cup of steaming hot liquid and a bottle of analgesics.

"Bless you." She smelled the tea, closing her eyes with satisfaction at the familiar aroma. "Thanks, Eric."

"No problem." Their eyes met for the briefest moment. "And these…" He handed Pablo his bag of candy. "Are for you, little man."

"Thank you!" Pablo's eyes lit up at the gummy treat and he tried unsuccessfully to rip into the packaging.

"Need some help?"

"Please?" Pablo handed over the candy so Eric could open it for him.

"Those are for you." Eric nodded to the bag of chocolate candies he'd sat down on the bed beside Calleigh. "I'm pretty sure those are your favorite."

"Oh, they are!"

"Mr. and Mrs. Palacio?" A haggard-looking nurse rushed into the room.

"Delko." Eric corrected without thinking that it wasn't Calleigh's last name.

"Okay." She looked at the paper in her hand. "Are you here for Elena Palacio?"

"We're her family." Eric unconsciously grabbed Calleigh's hand, pleased when she squeezed his in response.

"They're almost done with her surgery." The nurse perked up a little and smiled at them. "She's doing just fine. The doctors are switching her off bypass, and they're going to start closing as soon as she's stable."

"She's going to be okay, then?" The hand Calleigh had wrapped around her tea was shaking, and Eric reached out and steadied her.

"She's a strong little girl." The nurse nodded. "I expect she'll be just fine."

"Thank you." Eric's heartfelt gratitude seemed unsubstantial considering the good news they'd been given.

"I'll let you know when she's in recovery."

Calleigh let out a deep breath of relief and leaned her head against Eric's side. He sighed and softly laid his hand on the back of her head.

"She's gonna be okay, Cal." He whispered, relieved.

"I know." She murmured quietly. "I know."

He dropped his hand to her back, running her fingers through her hair in the process. "Can I have one?"

"Here." She held out the bag of candies to him. "I can share." Nodding toward the balloons he'd brought with him, she added. "Did you buy those for Elena?"

"I thought she needed more balloons." He shrugged, eyes wide and face open and honest. "She likes pink."

Calleigh nodded at his assessment. Elena does like pink, and there was no doubt she'd like the gifts.

"Pablo." Eric sat on the edge of the bed behind the little boy. "Would you like to go to the batting cages tomorrow?"

"What is batting cages?" Pablo questioned, not quite understanding. His English had improved dramatically in the few days he'd been here, but there was still much to learn.

"It's where you go to learn to hit a baseball." He explained patiently. "There's a machine that automatically throws a ball at you, and you hit it with a bat. Like baseball."

"¿Es verdad?" His face brightened considerably, and he perked up a little. The boredom of the day of waiting had gotten to him, but he was trying very hard to not complain. His mother told him to take good care of his sister, and he was trying very hard to do just that.

"Sure."

"But Elena…"

"I'll stay with her." Calleigh interjected. "She won't be alone here. I promise. Go have some fun."

"Okay!"

The friendly nurse was apparently mistaken when she said that Elena would be out of recovery soon. Two hours later Calleigh was half asleep in the chair, Eric was staring at the ceiling, and Pablo was bored, stretched out on Elena's bed and coloring in his new book.

"Mmhmmh." Calleigh groaned and changed positions in her sleep for the fifth or sixth time in as many minutes. Eric chuckled as he watched her frown in her sleep.

"Cal." He whispered as he reached out a hand and stroked her hair out of her face. "Cal, come here." He pulled her over to him and carefully placed her head against his chest. She murmured something in her sleep, squirmed against him for a moment, and fell once more into a deep sleep.

"Mr. Delko?" A nurse came back into the hospital room and snapped Eric out of his reverie.

"Yes!" He would have stood up, but Calleigh was still snoozing lightly against him, and his arm was wrapped around her sweetly.

"Elena is out of surgery. We're going to move her back in here in just a few minutes."

"Thank you." His heart soared. She was fine. The surgery was uncomplicated – or so he figured. What mattered most was that Elena was going to be okay. Turning his head a little, he was greeted with a whiff of Calleigh's shampoo. Something…floral…maybe?

"Calleigh?" He rubbed his hand up and down her shoulder and upper arm. "Calleigh, honey, she's out of surgery."

"Mmm?" She murmured sleepily.

"Cal, the nurse came in and said Elena's out of surgery."

This woke her up instantly. Pushing herself away from Eric, Calleigh sat up quickly, closing her eyes as the wave of dizziness overtook her for a moment and simultaneously missing the feeling of sleeping in Eric's arms.

"You okay?" Eric noticed the slight sway of her torso, and reached to steady her.

"Just a little dehydrated." She opened her eyes and smiled at Pablo, who was napping on the other hospital bed. "Looks like we have to wake him up, too."

"I'll take care of it." Eric glanced around the room, but found nothing else that the boy could sleep on.

"We're going to have to wake him up." Calleigh smiled at him. Paternal Eric was a nice treat. She liked this side of him.

"I'll do it." He volunteered begrudgingly moving to interrupt the boy's slumber.

"Here she is!" A bubbly nurse pushed a bed into the room containing a still-unconscious Elena.

"The surgery went well." Dr. Johnson followed the nurse in. "No complications. Everything looks good."

"She's still unconscious." Calleigh reached out and stroked the little girl's cheek. "When will she wake up?"

"The anesthetic should wear off in an hour or so." The doctor would have smiled at the tender sight of Calleigh and Eric and Pablo all hovering around his patient. Clearly, the little girl was well-loved, and would be well cared for in his absence. "She'll be a little disoriented when she wakes up, and I don't want her eating anything for a few hours. Other than that, she should heal fairly quickly. There will be a small scar, but we were very careful when we stitched her up, so it should mostly fade with time. Do you have any other questions or concerns?"

"How long until she can leave?" Eric wanted nothing more than to take Pablo and Elena home with him and start a real family. With Calleigh.

"It'll be a few days, but that depends on her mostly. Children heal very quickly, and she seems like a strong little girl, so it shouldn't be too long."

"You fix her heart?" Pablo finally gathered the courage to speak to the imposing doctor. "She okay now?"

"Well, who might you be?" Dr. Johnson squatted down and smiled at Pablo.

"Pablo."

"Her brother." Eric dropped both of his hands to Pablo's shoulders. "They're very close."

"Well, Pablo, your sister is going to be just fine. I sewed up the hole in her heart, and in a little bit of time, she'll be able to go home with you and steal your toys just like always."

"You fix her, then?"

"I fixed her."

"Gracias." Pablo extended his hand and smiled with missing teeth at the surgeon.

"Well, you are very welcome!" Dr. Johnson was touched by the young boy's manners and his concern for his sister. "It was my pleasure." With that, he nodded to Calleigh and Eric and left the room.

"Calleigh!" Pablo turned around and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Elena going to be okay! He fix her!"

"I know, sweetie." Calleigh wrapped her arms around him and rubbed his back. "I know." She was so relieved. Elena was out of surgery. The doctor said she could go home soon. Everything was going to be fine.

Waiting for Elena to wake up from the anesthetic was pure torture. For Pablo's sake, both Calleigh and Eric tried to appear relaxed, but they each feared that they had failed miserably. Calleigh grabbed her hairbrush and brushed out the little girl's long, wavy hair. Then she dampened a warm washcloth and sponged off her face so she'd feel refreshed. Eric adjusted the sheets and blankets at least a dozen times, then he checked the electrical connections to every single monitor in the room, just to make sure none of them malfunctioned. In the end, it was only Pablo who was able to sit quietly and wait; the adults were too busy fussing.

Eric noticed her grimace first, and quickly alerted Calleigh.

"Look! Calleigh! Pablo!" He pointed to the look of discomfort on Elena's face. "I think she's waking up."

Calleigh immediately dropped what she'd been doing and rushed to sit by Elena's side, attempting to coax her into consciousness. She held her hand and stroked her face, her arm, whatever she could reach. This precious child had endeared herself to Calleigh in a way that even she hadn't thought possible. Pablo moved to stand beside Calleigh, and she wrapped her free arm around him as well. Together, the three of them spoke softly to Elena, assuring her of their presence as she battled the last of the anesthetic and slowly drifted toward consciousness.

"Eric, I think she's in pain." Calleigh noted how she screwed her eyes shut and made a face with a soft whimper. "I'm getting a nurse."

"I'll do it, Cal." He loved this new Calleigh that he'd discovered. "You stay with her." She was so motherly. So loving. So open and concerned. She never tried to hide her feelings about the children. She openly loved them both, showering them with hugs and kisses and fussing over each of them. Eric grinned to himself as he left the room. This was the Calleigh Duquesne that he had suspected lived beneath that tough as nails exterior that she wore at work. This was the soft, kind Calleigh that he loved…dreamed about. Wanted to marry. Not that he didn't love the tough girl, too. He did. He loved sitting back and watching her interrogate a difficult suspect. He loved watching her on the gun range, so confident and precise – never missing the target. He loved it all, but there was something stirring about seeing her with children. Their job didn't necessitate a lot of contact with the young ones, so he'd never witnessed this side of her before. It was a nice change.

By the time Eric wrangled a nurse and got back to the room, Elena was rubbing her eyes just a little, and he could tell she'd been crying. The nurse deftly increased the amount of pain killer she was receiving from the IV, and patted Elena's shoulder.

"She should be fine now. Don't hesitate to get one of us if she needs anything else, okay?"

Eric was relieved that she hadn't fought him on this. Rather than complain that he was just an overbearing, overly-concerned parent, she found Elena's doctor and had him write an order for more drugs, then moved quickly to administer them herself. Clearly, the staff at this hospital were concerned about their tiny patients.

"Thank you, ma'am." He meant it, too.

"It's no problem."

She left, and Eric turned his attention back to his sleepy cousin. Softly, he held her hand and spoke to her, reassuring her that she was okay, and apologizing for the pain. Calleigh bit the inside of her cheek as she watched him. His body language said it all – the way he sat on the edge of the bed, the way he held her tiny hand in his. The way he tenderly kissed her cheek and stroked her hair out of her face. Here, in front of her, was a six-foot one-inch hunk of a man, brought completely to his knees by thirty pounds of four-year old little girl. He was whipped, wrapped around her tiny fingers, and quite content to stay right there. The sight couldn't have been more precious if she'd staged it herself.

They sat with Elena for hours, talking to her. Reading to her. Telling her stories. Anything to make her feel better. When the nurses said she could have clear food again, Eric ran to the cafeteria to buy her a grape popsicle – apparently his mother always gave him a grape popsicle when he was sick, and he felt like Elena should have one, too. Calleigh thought it was darling.

Eric's mother visited again, fretting over Elena, worrying about Pablo, and making Eric promise to take Calleigh out to a nice dinner when all this was over. Her attention made Calleigh blush and Eric smirk at the implication. Of course he was going to take her to a nice dinner. He owed her. Big time. He'd take her anywhere she wanted to go. Forever. Now if only he could figure out a way to tell her that, he'd be in business.

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R/R!!!! (pretty please with a chocolate sundae and a cherry on top)


	16. Separation Anxiety

It was getting late, and Elena was sleeping again. Pablo was leaning against Eric, his own eyes drooping close, heavy with sleep. Calleigh was the only person still half conscious, and she was pacing the floor. Back and forth and back. Glancing at her watch, she frowned and shook Eric's shoulder lightly.

"Huh?" His eyes opened.

"Do you want all of us to stay, or…?" She paused and stole a furtive look at Pablo. "I can take him home tonight and stay with him at the house if you want to stay here."

"Sure." He nodded sleepily.

"Or I can stay with her. It's up to you."

"Doesn't matter." He was too exhausted to care. Worrying about children – even if they aren't your own – is apparently very taxing.

"Eric, make a decision."

"I'll stay with Elena." He volunteered. "You don't mind watching Pablo?"

"Of course not." She rebuffed. "Do you want to go home first and grab a shower? I'll wait."

"Sure." Then he rethought it. "My car's not here. I'll have to borrow yours."

"I drove yours, so actually," She made a face and he laughed. "Here's your keys." She pilfered through her purse and dragged out his key chain.

"I won't be long." He promised, and then looked at Pablo, trying to decide how he was going to get up without waking him.

"Here." Calleigh stood in front of him. "I'll sit down when you get up. He can get a little sleep."

"Thanks." The made the swap and Eric stood nervously in front of Calleigh, unsure of his next move. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I know." She waved him out the door. "Take your time. We're fine here."

"Calleigh…" He almost said it. Almost had the nerve.

"Yeah?"

"Calleigh, thank you." Coward. It came out almost sounding like a question.

"You're welcome."

"Yeah." He turned and fled, face flaming in embarrassment. _Be a man, Delko._

Eric was in the shower when the phone rang. He'd brought it into the bathroom with him, just in case something happened at the hospital and Calleigh needed to get in touch with him. Quickly wiping his hand dry on the towel, he snatched up his phone and answered it shortly.

"Delko."

"Eric, your sister's here, and she's trying to take Pablo." Calleigh's worried voice cut into his heart.

"What do you mean?"

"She's trying to take him home with her!" Calleigh sounded near hysterics as she refused to relinquish her hold on the precious little boy. "She says he's going to live with her now."

"No!" Eric shut off the water and was out of the shower in a flash. "Stall her. I'll be right there."

"I'm trying."

Eric was livid. Furious. Spitting mad. Wiping the rest of the soap off with a towel, he threw on some clean clothes and dashed back out to the car and across town, praying Calleigh was able to stand her ground long enough for him to get there.

"Sonya, what do you think you're doing?" He crossed his arms and squared off with his older sister.

"I'm taking Pablo home with me." She turned her nose in the air at him a little, amused at his refusal to see things her way. "He deserves a decent home, and I'm giving him that."

"He stays with me!" Eric's voice was low and even, but the force behind it was near its breaking point.

"Eric, be reasonable!" Sonya laughed at him. "I love you, little brother, but you are not prepared to be a parent. I am. It's what's best for Pablo."

"You can't just walk in here and take them from me." He took a step toward his sister, wishing he had brothers instead so he could lay her out flat. But no. He has sisters, and his mother told him to never hit a girl. Maybe Calleigh would deck her. "Their mother said for ME to take care of them. ME. Not you!"

"And you did, Eric!" Was it possible that she was really that dense? "And we're all so grateful. But now, it's time for Pablo to have a real home. With a mother and a father. I know you, Eric, and you are not prepared for this responsibility."

"I've been taking care of them since they got here."

"What's that been, like four days?" She twittered and shook her head at him. "Really, you can honestly think you can do this alone."

"I haven't been doing it alone!" He turned and pointed to Calleigh, who was holding Pablo on her lap, arms tight around each other. "Calleigh's been helping me."

"Yeah." Sonya patronized him. "Mom said you were shacking up with some girl. They deserve a real family, Eric, and just because you've been playing house with your flavor of the week, doesn't mean you can raise a child properly."

Eric saw red. Flaming, sparks of red-hot anger. "Don't you dare talk about her that way!" He inched toward his sister, who, for a fleeting moment, actually had the decency to look afraid – or apologetic. He wasn't sure which. "Calleigh is my friend. I was in a jam, and she was helping me out. She didn't kick me out when Pablo and Elena came into my life, and she's been such a help to me since then." He was rolling now. "Don't you dare talk about her like she's some cheap…"

Sonya cut him off. "Fine, Eric. You're girlfriend. Whatever. You're still not keeping them."

"They aren't objects to be auctioned off, Son." He was irritated at this whole situation. "You can't just come in here and tell me to leave, and take them home with you."

"Oh, I'm just taking Pablo." She shook her head. "I already have three kids, Eric. Pilar is taking Elena. She's about the same age as her girls, anyway."

"Oh, absolutely not." Eric shot a look back to Calleigh. Her eyes were wide and she was fairly shaking in anger. "You are not separating them. Over my dead body."

Sonya huffed. This wasn't as easy as she had anticipated. She thought her brother would be glad to be rid of the children. He was single, a bit of a ladies man…kids would not help his game any. "No one needs to die here. Just think about it for a moment. You can't just live with her forever. And they need things you can't give them."

"Name one."

This shut her up for a moment, and her brain raced to think of something. "Two parents, for one."

"That's all you've got!" He scoffed. "Single parents raise kids every day. You're going to have to do better than that."

She thought for a moment again. "Space. You live in that cramped little condo. Children need space."

"I'll move." He sneered at her, having already planned to sell the condo and buy a proper house with a backyard for the children…and…

"Who's going to watch them while you're at work?"

She had a point there, but Eric had an idea. "Mom."

"You think she want to babysit every day?"

"Pablo will be in school, and Elena will start kindergarten in the fall." He shrugged. "They'll be at school most of the day. She won't have to watch them that much."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Your rollicking social life. You think you can maintain that with two children in tow?"

"No, I don't." His social life wasn't what it used to be anyway, but there was no point in arguing that with his bull-headed sister. "This isn't up for negotiation, Son. You can't take him."

"We'll see about that!" She stormed out the door in a huff, leaving Eric still breathing deeply from the confrontation.

"I can't believe her!" He sank into a chair, then stood back up. He had too much energy now to be still. He needed to walk. Run. Punch something.

"I didn't know I'd cause trouble for you." Calleigh said it so softly he almost didn't hear. "I'm really sorry."

"Calleigh! No." He stopped pacing and knelt down in front of her. "You didn't cause trouble. That's just Sonya being Sonya. She always thought she was better than everyone else. She's just…don't let her get to you. I really can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me. And the kids."

"This isn't over, though, is it?"

"No." He chewed his lip thoughtfully. "She'll be back. Probably get my mom to side with her, too." Heaven knows she always did where Sonya was concerned. "I'm really sorry about that." He hated that Calleigh had been put in the middle of what looked to be like an angry custody battle. This was one fight he wasn't will to back down from, though. He was used to deferring to his older sister, giving them what they wanted, but this was one time when he was going to stand his ground…or die trying. Those two children meant far too much to him to just step back and walk away. He wasn't giving them up without…no…he just wasn't giving them up. Period.

"Do you need some more time to get ready?" Calleigh had heard the shower in the background when they'd spoken on the phone earlier.

"No. No. I'm good. You go home and get some rest." He could kiss her for doing this. Man, he wanted to kiss her.

"You need anything, just call, okay."

"Yeah."

"If anything changes with Elena, promise you'll call me."

"I will, Calleigh." He smiled at her. "You know I will."

"Okay." She turned her attention to Pablo, who was still clinging to her. "Honey, let's go home. Eric is going to stay with Elena tonight."

"I stay with you." It wasn't a question. He had understood enough of the conversation to know that some strange lady was trying to take him away from Eric and Calleigh. He liked Eric and Calleigh. They were nice to him. They were nice to Elena. They kept them together. The other lady said she was only taking him. Someone else would have Elena. He couldn't let that happen. He promised his mother he wouldn't let anyone have Elena.

"I'm certainly going to try, buddy." Eric embraced his little cousin, trying to reassure him. "I'm not letting you two go without a fight, you hear me?"

"I hear."

"Good man." He hugged him again. "Be good for Calleigh, okay?"

"I promise."

"I know you will." He turned to Calleigh once more, unsure of what to say. "Calleigh, I…" He faltered. Opting for action instead of words for once in his life, he reached out and hugged Calleigh fiercely, pouring all his emotion into the strength with which he held her. "Thank you." He whispered into her ear, lips barely brushing the outside. "Thank you so much."

Calleigh was quite taken aback with this display of emotion, but she eagerly returned it, wrapping her arms around him as well. "You don't need to thank me, Eric. Really."

He might have held on a little too long, definitely longer than would be considered appropriate for two people who were just colleagues, but neither one seemed to mind. When he finally released her, he reached out and tucked her hair back behind her ear. "Sleep well." He whispered, restraining himself against the impulse to kiss her senseless.

"You, too." The awkward tension in the room was undeniable. Only sleeping Elena was oblivious, for even Pablo sensed the unease. Calleigh and Eric just stood, eyes locked and seemingly incapable of tearing their respective gaze away. It was Eric who moved first, of course. He apparently found some courage, because he dipped his head down and pressed the gentlest of kisses to the side of her mouth – just on the edge. Dragging his lips back to her ear, and pressing gentle kisses along the way, he whispered again, "Sweet dreams."

Calleigh's face was a mask, unmoving. The shock was almost more than she could take. How does a person react to this? Her best friend kissed her. If she was truly honest with herself, and that usually only happened after a glass of wine or two, he wasn't just her best friend. It wasn't like she'd never had a fantasy of the two of them together in a more than platonic way. She had. Very vivid fantasies. Still, there were children present. Tender eyes that probably didn't need the image of her pushing him against the wall and…shaking her head, she met his gaze once more. "You, too." She whispered in a low, breathy voice.

A few awkward moments passed before she recovered enough to remember what she'd been doing. Crossing the room, she said goodnight to slumbering little Elena, and held out her hand to Pablo. "Ready to go?"

He nodded, and placed his hand in hers after receiving his goodnight hug from Eric. "See you tomorrow, Elena." He patted her arm and tucked her pink elephant closer to her. "Get better."

Eric collapsed back into the chair and buried his face in his hands. Had he really just done that? Really? Nice move. Nice. Drive her away, yeah. That's the way to do it. Although…she hadn't hit him. She didn't push him away. She almost smiled at him. Maybe…he had to focus on how to keep the children with him for now. His love life – or lack thereof – could be dealt with after. He had more pressing matters to attend to right now.

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R/R!!!!!!


	17. Life in Three Tenses

Calleigh's head was reeling as she walked to the car with Pablo. Eric kissed her. Eric Delko kissed her. Okay, so it wasn't on the lips, but it still counted. There was the friend kiss – the quick peck on the cheek. The forehead kiss – still in friend territory, but more intimate than the cheek. In the past, they had shared a few of those, but this was new. This was uncharted territory. This held promise and possibility and…she had to stop thinking about this before her brain detoured into dangerous waters.

"Okay, buddy." She squeezed Pablo's hand in hers. "What would you like to do tonight?" The poor child had been such a good sport. All day long, he sat quietly and played by himself or with Eric or her. He colored or drew or read books. He deserved a little treat – some time spent doing something he enjoyed. Someone's undivided attention.

"What?" He wasn't sure he understood.

"Tonight." Calleigh drew him to her with one arm. She did love this little boy. He was too precious to for words. "Is there something special you'd like to eat, something fun you'd like to do? Whatever you want. Just name it."

"Really?"

"Really." The way his eyes lit up at her explanation made her heart swell.

"I…" He wasn't sure what his options were, and that made the job of choosing more difficult.

"We can go to the park and play, go to the movies." She wracked her brain for child-appropriate activities. "Um. I have a pool. We can go swimming. We can go to a restaurant and eat…"

"Swimming!" Calleigh grinned; perhaps water was in the blood!

"Okay! Do you have a swim suit?"

"No?" He wasn't entirely sure what that was, but he was pretty sure he didn't have one.

"Well, we'll have to stop and get you one."

They detoured into a shopping plaza on the way home, and Calleigh purchased Pablo a pair of swim trunks. She saw him quietly admiring a pair of sneakers that she knew he'd never ask for, running his fingertips over the leather. His own shoes were nice, but getting worn. Plus, it never hurt to have a spare.

"Can you tell me his shoe size?" She asked the lady at behind the counter.

"Of course."

"Have a seat." Calleigh urged him to sit in a chair, and knelt to remove his shoes.

"What…?"

"We're trying on shoes, sweetie."

"Shoes?" His heart jumped a little. New shoes. Brand new shoes. He was grateful for all the clothes his cousins had given him, but there was something special about something brand new – purchased just for him.

The sales lady got his size, and brought out a few different pairs for him to try on. Pablo modeled them in the mirror with all the flair of a celebrity getting paid for brand endorsement.

"Which ones do you like?" Calleigh stood behind him, loving the permanent smile on his adorable face.

"Really?"

"You need some more shoes." She reasoned. "You'll be in school soon, and you'll need more than one pair." No one understood the necessity of variety in footwear better than Calleigh Duquesne.

Pablo bit his lip and looked over his options. They were all so nice. "These." He announced, holding up his foot to show her the ones he was wearing. "I like these best."

"Well, then." She patted his shoulders. "We'll get those." She grabbed the box and a pair of sturdier oxfords for school and added them to the swim trunks on the counter. "Can he wear them out of the store?" She asked the sales lady as she paid for the items.

"Of course." They both looked at Pablo as he admired his new footwear in the mirror. "Cute kid."

"He really is." She said it more to herself than to the clerk.

After she was finished paying, she held out her hand. "Ready to go?"

"Ready." Pablo stared at his new shoes all the way home.

Calleigh changed into a modest swim suit and threw on a pair of sweat pants overtop. She wasn't sure she wanted to swim, but she should at least be present to supervise. Pablo was bouncing up and down by the French doors, staring at he pool through the glass.

"We can swim now?"

"Go ahead." Her arms were laden with towels and sweatshirts. It was winter, and there was a little chill in the air. The pool was heated, but it would be cold when he got out. She didn't want him to get sick, so she came prepared.

Pablo raced outside and cannon balled into the pool, making Calleigh thankful that she was walking a few paces behind him. He splashed around the pool, completely comfortable in the water, but lacking proper form. Calleigh grinned as she thought of Eric instructing the kids in her pool. Teaching Pablo front crawl and elementary backstroke, and helping Elena float and put her face in the water. He'd be patient, she knew that much. And he would love every minute of it.

"Calleigh, you swim, too!" He bubbled, ecstatic from the fun he was having.

"Okay, big guy." She quickly removed her sweats and dove gracefully into the deep end, swimming underwater across the pool to sneak up on Pablo. He shrieked with glee when she surfaced behind him unexpectedly, and splashed her. Calleigh splashed him back, and thought to herself that this was the most fun she'd had in months.

Eric stood and stretched his legs and back, all kinked from sitting in the same place for such a long time. Elena was still asleep, and honestly, he was grateful for it. As much as he loved her, loved talking to her, listening to her talk, seeing her smiling face – he preferred that she sleep if the alternative was being awake and in pain. Earlier, when she'd been awake, it had almost been too much for him to handle. She was such a trooper, such a good sport. Her little face had screwed into a grimace, but she hadn't said anything, hadn't cried. She'd just looked up at him with those big, trusting, brown eyes and listened to him talk. He'd had almost run out of things to talk about, he'd tried so hard to distract her.

Standing over the hospital bed, he rubbed his eyes and watched her sleep. Her tiny chest rose and fell rhythmically with her breathing, her left arm clutched tightly around her new elephant, and Calleigh's bear tucked into her right. Counting backwards, he recalled the days since he'd found them tucked into a back room in Carmelita Moreno's cousin's home. Elena looked up at him with her big, brown eyes as he introduced himself. Ryan hung back in the doorway, unsure of what to do. Squatting down, he spoke in a soft voice, told them he was their cousin. He was their grandfather's sister's son. He wanted to take them to see their family, their aunt and uncle. He was the "Eric" their mother had directed them to find in her note. Little Elena, so innocent and trusting, lifted her arms up to him, smiling lopsidedly at him.

He'd picked her up and hugged her, right then and there. That was the moment he'd fallen. He'd lost himself in those beautiful eyes. She wasn't his daughter, but he couldn't have felt more connected to her if she had been. Her arms wrapped around his neck and introduced her brother. Pablo had been slower to warm up to Eric, but only by a few minutes. By the time Ryan had driven them to the station, Pablo was chattering on about soccer and all the other things that little boys love. It was so idyllic. So picturesque. The only thing missing was a wife. And a court order. Something granting him sole custody. Legal rights to keep them forever. Raise them. Three days had changed his life forever. Seventy-two little hours. His whole concept of the future, his future, had shifted. A paradigm. He knew exactly what he wanted, now. He wanted to adopt Pablo and Elena, he wanted custody. He wanted to come home at night and have dinner with them. He wanted to read them bedtime stories, and leave money under their pillows when they lost teeth. He wanted to repeat the first few minutes of yesterday evening, up until the ambulance part, it had been a dream come true. He came in the door and Calleigh greeted him. Dinner was on the stove, the kids were playing. Mundane things that make a life real – Calleigh balancing her checkbook. His mother sending over dinner so they wouldn't have to cook. Pablo and Elena playing noisily in the living room, the television blaring in the background. He'd get them a dog. A big, friendly dog. It was…perfect.

It couldn't happen without a fight, though. Sonya was bound to fight him. Pilar would fight him if Sonya told her to. His mother would most likely side with the girls. He had to admit, Sonya had a point. His track record was less than stellar, but he wasn't that guy any more. He hadn't been that guy for a while, but no one saw that. All they saw, all they remembered where the mistakes of his youth. They didn't see how hard he was trying now. They didn't see how much he loved these children. They did deserve a mother, he sighed. This sucked.

"Eric?"

He looked up at the sound of his name, startled to see his mother standing in the doorway of the hospital room.

"Mami?"

"Eric, I spoke to Sonya. She was very upset."

"Ma, I really don't want to talk about it." He ran a finger over the back of Elena's hand, awed at how tiny she was, how fragile she looked.

"Mijo," She started. "I know you mean well, but do you really want to do this?"

"Do what, Mami?"

"Give up your life for these children."

"I don't see it that way."

"Eric, you are my son. My only son. And I just want you to be happy."

"Mami," How do you explain something like this to your mother? "I know what I want. I want to keep them. I want to raise them. I…I can do this, Ma. I'll be good to them. I promise."

"I know you will, honey." That wasn't her main concern. "But what about you? What about your life?"

"What about my life?" What a silly question.

"How are you going to meet a nice girl if you have two children to care for?"

He'd already met a nice girl. She was at home, watching Pablo. "I'm not worried about that."

"A little girl deserves a mother."

"She had a mother, Mami." Eric chided gently. "Her mother died." He paused and went to stand by the window. "Mami, their mother asked me to take care of them. She trusted me to care for her babies. Her children. I have to do this."

"You never met her." She was shocked to hear the depth of his loyalty to his deceased cousin.

"She's still family, Ma." He reminded her. "You always told us that there's nothing more important than family."

"Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure." He'd never been surer of anything in his whole life.

"Okay."

"Okay?" Could it be that simple?

"I'll speak to Sonya and Pilar."

"You will?"

"Eric, my son, I…I'm proud of you." She hugged him fiercely, so delighted at how her son had grown up. "I'm so very proud of you."

"Nothing to be proud of, Ma." He hugged her back, a little confused. "I'm just trying to do the right thing. Do what's right for them."

"I know you are." She kissed his cheek and looked into his eyes, seeing his determination to take on this responsibility. "I know you are."

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Author's Note: I just wanted to send a heartfelt thanks out to everyone who read and reviewed the past few chapters! I really appreciate all your support and the kind words. I'm feeling better, thanks to everyone who sent "feel better" vibes my way! School's better. Finals week is coming up, so I'm going to be super, ultra-busy (and stressed and caffeinated and sleep-deprived) lol.

Anyway! Have a lovely day. Read and please review!

Cheers!


	18. Insomnia

Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since the last update. I had a major case of writer's block...and an even bigger case of this horrible little thing called "exam week." At my school, exam weeks lasts two weeks. Eleven exams. Two projects. Ten school days. Very little sleep. So, I slept for about 24 hours straight after my last exam. I ALMOST feel human again. Almost. Now I'm bored out of my skull for the next week because I'm on break. I'm sure I'll adapt! Anyway. Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, stuck around to read another chapter...you're all fabulous! So, you know the drill!

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Clorinda kissed her son, then turned and kissed her niece goodnight.

"Take good care of her for me, mijo." She cautioned Eric unnecessarily.

"I will, Ma." Eric grinned at his mother.

Merely floating down the hallway, Clorinda beamed at everyone she passed. Her baby boy was all grown up. He was grown up and taking responsibility like a man…like the man she'd raised him to be. She had a sneaky suspicion that her little boy had already met a girl, and that was the reason why he wasn't concerned about the children's effect on his social life. Her name was Calleigh, and it was abundantly clear to her that the young, blonde woman was very fond of her niece and nephew…and her son.

"Mami, you can't be serious!" Sonya cried when her mother told her what happened. It wasn't that she was upset she couldn't have custody of Pablo; it was just that she couldn't really picture her baby brother taking care of children. "This is Eric we're talking about. ERIC!"

"He is very set on this." Clorinda shook her head at her daughter's stubbornness. Why is that only she could see her son's maturity, his steadfast resolution to these children?

"But it's Eric!"

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"You can't possibly be fine with this!" She couldn't believe her mother was just going to let Eric keep those children. Or any children, for that matter.

"You haven't seen him with them." Her mother countered. She'd seen. She watched him interact with them. Play with them. Love them like his own. "I have. He'll be fine."

"I can't believe you!" Sonya shook her head and stomped off, reminding her mother of the fifteen year old girl that used to throw similar tantrums when she didn't get her way. Some things never change.

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"Thank you for my shoes!" Pablo had been working on that phrase all night, repeating it over and over, getting it just right. "I love them." He hung his head shyly as he thanked Calleigh for her gifts.

"Sweetie, you're very welcome." Calleigh bent down and hugged him tightly, wondering how hard all of this was on him. "I'm glad you like them."

"I do!" He assured her. "I do very much."

"Tell me something, Pablo." She sat down and pulled him toward her with his hands. "Do you need anything? Are you doing all right?"

He furrowed his brow and tried to figure out her question. "I do not…" He shook his head, not understanding.

"Sit with me." She patted the seat next to her, and paused while he sat down beside her. "Lots of things have been happening in your life. Your mom, moving to Florida, Elena being sick. I'm just asking how YOU are doing. Are you okay? Do you need anything? Are you worried about anything?" She switched to Spanish and explained herself better so he would understand.

Pablo and Calleigh spoke for several minutes. She discovered that he was scared, a fear that she had suspected all along. He was scared Elena would be separated from him. He was scared they would get in trouble and be sent back to Cuba. He was scared he would never see his grandfather again. And he was scared of change. So many changes had occurred recently. He wasn't sure what to make of them all. He liked Calleigh and Eric, though, and he thanked her profusely for taking good care of them – especially Elena.

Calleigh wrapped Pablo in a warm hug, and they sat in silence for a few minutes on her sofa, hot chocolate long forgotten on the coffee table. She marveled at his ability to just speak his mind, tell her his fears. She wondered what his dreams for the future were. His future. That of his sister. He reminded her so much of someone with his open, honest eyes. His lopsided smile. His laugh. Calleigh had never really been the type of woman that cooed over children. She didn't ooh and ahh over babies. They didn't make her weak in the knees. She didn't long to hold one herself. But these two cousins of Eric made her wonder things she'd never thought before. What would it be like to raise a family? What would it be like to come home and see smiling faces, happy to see her? What would it be like to have this life…with Eric?

She woke Pablo a few minutes after he drifted to sleep and helped him off to bed. Tucking him in gently, she swallowed the lump in her throat, reminding herself that this was not hers to have. This family. This home. This love. None of it was hers. She was just a passerby. An outsider looking in. For a while she could play at it, pretend it was forever, but deep inside she knew it wouldn't last. She was here, watching Pablo. Doing it as a favor. Eric was at the hospital with Elena. Soon she would be well, recovered, and Eric would come and take them away. The three of them would live…somewhere. He would meet some nice girl. It wouldn't last. She signed and closed the door softly. It would never last. It just wasn't her lot in life to have all this. Loving husband. Adorable family. For some people, it just isn't on the table. She wouldn't know what to do with it all anyway. She'd screw it up, for sure, even if she did, by miracle, get something akin to that.

Calleigh knew herself well. She had some degree of insight into herself and her actions. She was capable of retrospectively looking back over her past relationships and dissecting out what went wrong. Inevitably, the tracks led back to her. She was closed off. Demanding. Non-communicative. Non-feeling. Jake said she was an ice queen. John called her a selfish, high maintenance waste of time…of course that was before he shot himself. Clenching her jaw, she moved to the kitchen. Sleep would be out of the question tonight, despite her exhaustion. Perusing her cabinets, she searched for something – anything – that would rest her mind. Spying a bottle of anti-histamines she frowned. They would do the trick. She would sleep. They were non-habit forming. Not dangerous. Not…anything. She put a pot of tea on to boil and sat at the table, staring at the offending bottle of pills. Why is it that only Eric was able to keep her up like this? Only he sent her head spinning and her heart pounding, and twisted her stomach into knots. If figures. She'd just gotten her life figured out. Made peace with herself. Her past. Her family. Her life. And now Eric waltzes in, all smooth and sweet and caring. Plus kids. The whole package. Precious, adorable kids. Kids that like her. Love her, even.

Her tea kettle whistled, slapping her back into reality. She poured herself a cup and popped some antihistamines. In a few minutes she'd be feeling sleepy enough sleep. Hopefully.

Calleigh's alarm went off shrill and loud the next morning. Rolling over, she slapped the source of the annoying sound with a heavy sigh. She'd taken yesterday off, but knew she couldn't do the same two days in a row. Staring up at the ceiling, she closed her eyes and tried to rid her brain of all the thoughts and images that swirled around in her head. Eric. Kissing her. Elena sleeping in her arms. Pablo's smiling face as they swam in the pool the night before.

"Ugh." She grunted as she pushed herself to her feet.

"Good morning, Pablo." She bent and dropped a kiss on his cheek, heart swelling as his arms encircled her neck when he returned the affection. "Did you sleep okay, sweetie?"

He nodded emphatically, and Calleigh smiled as she grabbed milk and eggs from the refrigerator. "Hungry?"

"Yes!" He giggled, and Calleigh had a flash to a few years in the future, feeding an eternally hungry teenage boy. Oddly, she found it was a comforting image, not frightening like she'd figured it would be. If only…

Calleigh and Pablo got ready quickly, and she drove to the hospital, parked the car, and smiled as his hand closed tightly around hers as the walked.

"Calleigh?" His voice was soft and a little shaky.

"What's wrong, honey?"

"Who are they?" He pointed to the entrance of the hospital, and she followed his eyes.

Parked in front of the main doors were every local television and radio station in the greater Miami area, and if her memory served her correctly, quite a few cable networks as well. Her heart sank, as she knew exactly why they were present. The media frenzy had begun.

Shielding Pablo from the cameras, she gripped his hand and steered him toward the side of the building. They'd go in the emergency entrance to avoid any problems. The last thing she wanted was his face plastered all over the news. The media could wait another day to get their story. She wasn't giving them anything.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, sweetie." She assured him in a voice far more sure than she actually felt. "Nothing's wrong."

"Who are they?"

"Television. Radio. News." She wasn't going to lie to the child. Honesty had always been her philosophy.

"Why are they here?"

"I don't know. Maybe someone famous is sick." Then again, philosophy is tricky.

"How's the patient?" She asked quietly as they entered Elena's hospital room. Eric was snoozing in the chair, bent over and resting his head on the mattress. If he didn't look so uncomfortable, she'd have thought he looked adorable. As it was, though, she moved to wake him and save him from the inevitable crick in his neck.

"Eric." She bent and whispered in his ear. "Eric, wake up." His only response was to moan and bury his face in the blanket.

"Eric, I've got to go to work."

He squirmed again, but she saw his eyes open briefly. "Eric."

"Wha?"

"I have to go to work. Are you still watching Pablo or do I need to take him to your mom's?"

"No." He straightened and yawned. "I'll watch him." He glanced around the room and spotted Pablo standing by the window. "How you doing, buddy?"

"Good." He smiled widely and hurriedly crossed the room. "I got new shoes!" He showed off his new sneakers with an ecstatic smile.

"Those are nice!" Eric exclaimed, but his eyes were watching Calleigh as she blushed. "Wow! Where did you get those?"

"Calleigh!" He pointed to Calleigh as she tried to edge her way out of the room. "We went swimming last night!" He chattered on about his fun evening, his new shoes, and his new swim suit. Clearly, Calleigh had got on just fine watching Pablo without him.

"Cal, wait." He felt horrible about the night before. Not that he didn't want to kiss her. Want to. Dream of. Semantics. She paused just outside the door and waited for him to catch up. "What do I owe you for the shoes?"

"Nothing, Eric. It's fine."

"You don't have to buy him stuff."

"Didn't have to." Her features softened as she met his eyes. "Wanted to. Don't worry about it."

"It sounds like you two had a fun night."

She dropped her gaze as she smiled softly. "Yeah. We did." She hesitated before continuing. "Eric, there's a lot of media outside. I'm guessing they're here for you. Well, you and Pablo and Elena."

His heart sank. He had expected this; he'd just prayed it wouldn't actually happen. Like it or not, his face was about to be plastered all over the evening news. No better way to say "hi, I'm right here. Come kill me" than broadcasting your location all over national television. This would end poorly.

"No sweat." He knew she wouldn't believe him, but he tried anyway.

"Eric!"

Sometimes, it's nice to know he can't hide from someone. This, however, was not one of those times.

"Eric, don't give me that."

"Calleigh, what do you want me to say?"

He had a point. There was nothing he could say. There was nothing she could say. The whole situation just…sucked.

"I'm sorry." She reached out and closed her hand around his forearm.

"Don't worry about it." He ached to hold her. Tell her everything would be okay. If only he actually thought it would be. They stood quietly for a moment, awkward and uncertain of what else there was to say. "Cal, about last night…"

"Don't worry about it." She cut him off before he could finish. As much as she had agonized about it, the last thing she wanted right now was to listen to him tell her how he wished he'd never kissed her in the first place. How it had been a mistake. A moment of weakness. She wasn't sure she wanted him to NOT mean it. "I'll see you tonight?"

"Yeah." He breathed, relieved that she didn't seem upset with him. "I'll be here."

"Want me bring dinner?" The grin was enough of an answer for her. "Okay…" Awkward tension still there…check.

"Yeah."

"Well."

"Okay."

"I should go."

"Yeah." He paused again, and then dove back in. "Thanks for watching him last night. I really appreciate it."

"Sure." She peeked into the room and smiled at Pablo sitting quietly and holding Elena's hand. "He's no trouble at all. He's a great kid."

"My mom came by."

"Oh, yeah?"

"I think she's going to take care of the whole Sonya situation for me."

"That's good." Honestly, she was thrilled. There was no doubt that Sonya and Pilar would be good to the children, but a deep, unexplored part of her wanted Eric to care for them. It wanted HER to care for them…with Eric.

"Yeah."

"I should…" She gestured down the hall toward the exit.

"Yeah. Yeah. Okay."

"I'll see you later."

"Have a good day." He watched her form disappear down the hallway and around the corner before turning and going back into the room.

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A/N: That's it for now. I'm going to catch up on some more of that blessed thing normal people get every night. Good lord, I missed sleep! Ahhhhh. Relaxation. It's a good thing. R/R!!!!! Please?


	19. Big Brother

Author's Note: Still working through the writer's block, but many thanks to TexasJen for her invaluable assistance on this chapter. I think I'm good to go now! Thanks to the readers and the reviewers (especially the reviewers). I'm loving my break. Spent the day by the pool, lounging in the sunshine. Sythesizing some much-needed vitamin D, no doubt. I was starting to have that pasty "library glow." Not a good look for me! Have a lovely day, all!!!

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Calleigh was distracted at work all day long. Horatio noticed her inattentiveness, but chose to say nothing. It was Natalia who ultimately cornered her in the lady's room; forcing her to confront what was eating her.

"Spill." On a normal day, even barefoot, Natalia towered several inches over Calleigh. Today, in this reduced state of mind and slouching, in her killer three-inch heels Natalia seemed to loom over her like a lovely Goliath.

"What are you talking about?" Calleigh tried to square her shoulders and seem okay, but Natalia was not about to be convinced by her efforts.

"Calleigh!" She warned quietly. "What's eating you?"

"Thank you, Natalia, but I'm fine. I really am."

"If you're fine, I'm Elizabeth Taylor."

That drew a small smile from Calleigh, at least.

"Natalia, I just…" She wasn't sure she wanted to spill her guts and heart out to her friend, no matter how much she trusted her.

"Did Eric do something stupid?" Given how close they were, and the fact that they'd both taken the previous day off, she figured it wasn't too far off.

"Eric didn't do anything. Why would you think he did something that bothered me?"

"Calleigh!" Natalia huffed, leaning against the sink, and then frowning at the familiar damp feeling that seeped into her hips. "Sink was wet!" She exclaimed, grabbing the paper towels Calleigh handed her and attempting to sop up the moisture.

"Okay, well. Now that I've permanently given my butt a water spot, you have to tell me what's wrong!" She was only partially kidding, and she wasn't above guilting her friend into talking. "So…" She prompted.

"Nothing's wrong." Calleigh protested. "I'm just figuring some things out, that's all."

"Things like what?"

"Natalia…"

"Calleigh!" Nat mimicked her.

"Do you think I'm cold?"

"Cold?" She knew she'd made a mistake the moment the word crossed her lips.

"Never mind." Calleigh shoved off the wall and marched out of the bathroom. "I can see what you think."

"Calleigh, I just…" She never finished her thought. Calleigh was already out the door.

Calleigh wasn't fuming. She wasn't angry. Upset. Irritated. She found she oddly felt…nothing. Nothing at all. Maybe she was too tired to work up an actual emotion. She never felt awake after an anti-histamine induced sleep. Maybe she was too preoccupied to care. Truthfully, though, she knew the reason. She wasn't upset, because she knew Natalia was right. She'd spent so much of her time and effort projecting this "tough girl" persona, this statue of professionalism and virtue, that apparently she'd gotten her wish. She was well-respected in her field. Well-known. Well-trained. But deep down, she secretly wanted to be well-loved, too. And not just by anyone. The past few days had granted her a glimpse into a life she'd never experienced. It had never even occurred to her to want something like this – it just seemed too far out of her reach. This tantalizing taste of normalcy, love, and family had whetted her appetite and she wanted more.

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"I'll take a family order of ropa vieja, black beans, rice, platanos, and yucca to go, please." She placed her order at a family-owned Cuban restaurant not far from the lab. It was a place she and Eric had frequented a few years ago. Back before everything changed. Before Speed died. Before Jake and Marisol. Before…She paid the gentleman behind the counter and took a seat to wait. She collected her dinner, grabbed enough plates and forks for everyone, thanked the man again, and left for the hospital. She tried to not ponder too hard on the fact that she'd just ordered the "family dinner." A few days ago these thoughts would have been absurd for her, and now they pervaded her every waking thought.

"This is silly." She chided herself in the car. These thoughts were ridiculous. A waste of time. This preoccupation with family, children, husbands. This had to stop.

Parking the car, she grabbed the dinner and the new pink pajamas she purchased for Elena during her lunch break and hustled up to the entrance. Reporters were still looming and lurking about, watching for anyone that might be related to the now-famous children.

"Excuse me, aren't you CSI Calleigh Duquesne?" An overly eager reporter shoved a microphone in her face and gestured wildly to her cameraman. "Are you here to visit the Cuban children? Is it true that they are related to one of your own coworkers?"

Calleigh almost felt sorry for the young woman as the look of desperation crossed her face. She hadn't meant to scare her when she moved her jacket back off her service pistol sitting securely in the holster. She just wanted some peace. She wanted Eric and the children to have some peace.

"I have dinner!" She announced cheerfully, holding up the bags like a golden bounty.

"Calleigh!" Elena greeted her happily with a wave. "How are you?"

She stood, stunned for a moment before responding. "Elena, precious! When did you learn to say that in English?"

"We practiced all day." Eric announced proudly, beaming down at his little cousin. "She knows more than that, too."

"Well, thank you, Elena." Calleigh sat on the edge of the hospital bed and hugged her. "I am very well. How are you?"

"Good." She giggled with a grin. "Hi!"

"Hi there!" She'd missed this little girl all day long, not that she'd admit it to anyone – even herself. "

"Did you get ropa vieja?" The smile that spread across Eric's face as he opened the Styrofoam containers was all the answer she needed to know that her gastronomic intuition was still intact.

"I figured familiar foods and flavors would be good, you know?" She searched out his eyes. "Can she have some?"

"Just a little. The nurses let her have some soup today for lunch, and a little bit of bread a while after."

"They aren't feeding her?" Calleigh was irate at this revelation.

"Liquid things. Jello. Soup. Juice."

"Well, I can do better than that!" It was so easy to just forget everything and fall into this routine. Elena. Pablo. Eric. Her. Dinner together. Fussing over the children together. Laughing and spending time.

"How about some platanos?" She opened the container and offered some to the children. Their resounding cheers were music to her ears.

Ladling out some onto two plates, she offered one to each child. They both eagerly dug into their treats, eating quickly and noisily.

"Dinner, milady?" Eric offered her a plate heaped with delicious smelling food.

"Why, thank you." She was grateful that the tension from the morning seemed to have dissipated. "Don't mind if I do."

"What's in the bag?" He'd noticed the extra package when she came in, but wasn't about to peek inside it.

"Just a little something for Elena." She dismissed.

"You don't have to keep buying them things, Cal." Eric frowned at her a little.

"You don't want me to?" She hadn't meant to overstep her bounds. Of course he didn't want her too. How stupid. "I'm sorry. I won't…"

"No. No, Calleigh." He covered her hand with his own. "That's not what I meant. I love it that you love them. I just don't want you to think I expect you to do this."

She blushed a little at his veiled compliment, but raised her eyes to meet his anyway. "I know you don't." She shrugged. "I just wanted to. Like you said, she likes pink."

"May I?" He gestured toward the bag.

"Go ahead."

He peered inside and felt his heart clench. Light pink pajamas. Very girly. Very precious. And matching pink fuzzy slipper socks to keep her little feet warm. "Calleigh, I can't thank you enough for everything you're doing. I just…"

"It's no big deal. I just thought she'd like them."

"After dinner?" He figured she was waiting until she was done eating, cleaning up messy fingers, mouths, etc. "Good thinking."

Dinner was chaotic, but it calmed Calleigh's nerves. Talking with Eric, joking with Pablo, wiping up Elena's messes when she smeared beans all over her mouth on accident – it was perfectly ordinary. And just plain perfect.

Elena squealed with glee at her new pajamas, begging Calleigh and Eric to let her put them on right away. Pablo and Eric excused themselves for a few minutes while Calleigh helped Elena change. Her stomach wrenched a little at the sutures on Elena's little chest. They were small, the surgeon hadn't lied, but they still looked angry and painful.

Elena modeled her new clothes from her hospital bed, smiling happily, and stunning Calleigh at her good mood. The poor little girl had surgery the day before, and now she was smiling and talking and laughing. The doctor wasn't wrong. Children do heal quickly, apparently. It was a fact that she was all too grateful for.

"Do you want to stay here with her tonight?" Eric asked her quietly, pulling her aside for a moment after dinner.

At her silence, he continued. "You don't have to, I just…I know you're close. I thought maybe…Forget it."

"No. No." She was touched at his offer. "I'd like that. Thank you."

"I'll come by early. So you can go home and shower."

"Could you just bring stuff here?" She hated to have to drive all the way back out to Bal Harbour, then back to Miami. It might be a little embarrassing to have Eric go through her clothes, underwear, socks and whatnot, but it would save time. And gasoline.

"Can you give me a list?" He hated the idea of being charged with picking out what she wore to work the next day. Picking out his own clothes was one thing. Picking out clothes for a stylish woman…that was a totally different ball game.

The four of them played and talked for a while, but Elena started to get tired, and Eric took that as his cue to leave. He and Pablo hugged her goodnight, and bid farewell for the evening.

Elena asked for a story, and Calleigh happily obliged. Taking her place on the bed beside her like she had just a few nights before, she wrapped and arm around the little girl's back and settled in for a bedtime story. And just like a few days before, Elena fell asleep in a few minutes into her story. After ensuring she was sound asleep, Calleigh moved to a chair beside the bed. Her insomnia from the night before vanished in favor of sleeping soundly and taking care of this little girl. Truthfully, she hadn't slept that soundly in quite a while.

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Eric arrived extra early the next morning and found Elena snuggled up in her new PJs with her bear, elephant, and new blanket. Calleigh was fast asleep in a chair next to the bed, one leg slung over the arm of the chair, head pillowed on her jacket. Her blonde hair spread out like a golden halo over the bed beside Elena. Instinctively, he knew he'd never tire of that sight. Not every woman would open her home, arms, and heart to children unrelated to her. There were only barely related to him. And still, here she was. Lovingly, carefully, watching his little niece, a peaceful smile gracing her face. He hated to disturb this picture, but she'd kill him if he made her late to work.

"Calleigh." He gently placed a hand on her shoulder, but refrained from shaking her. It just didn't seem right. She looked so angelic. So content. "Calleigh, you've gotta get up. It's time to get ready for work."

She made a face and slowly opened her eyes.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." He teased, bravely brushing her hair out of her face with his fingertips. "Sleep well?"

"Actually, I did." Sometime during the night, a nurse had apparently covered her with a blanket, because that was definitely not there when she'd fallen asleep.

Swinging her legs around to stand, she hopped to her feet and swayed a little.

"Whoa!" He wrapped his arms around her to steady her. "Are you okay? Do you need a doctor or…"

"Just a little water." Truthfully, she was very thirsty. Very, very thirsty. Perhaps the dehydration was getting to her. She'd been too busy at work the day before to take in much water.

"Sit here." He helped her back up onto the chair. "I'll get you some water." He rushed around the room, filling up the ugly plastic pitcher, then handed her the cup once he'd filled it. "I think maybe you better skip the coffee." He gestured to the cups of hot, caffeinated beverages he'd purchased on the way over.

"You can't deny me my morning coffee." She warned with a grin. "You won't like the results."

"Well, you drink some more water, and we'll see about that." He grinned at her, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He'd like to deny her coffee in the morning – but he'd replace it with something a bit more…addictive.

"Where's Pablo?"

"One of the nurses has taken a shine to him." Eric jested. "She's finding him some toys, treats. Basically spoiling him rotten."

"I understand the impulse." She responded wryly. At first Eric feared she was upset, but the twinkle in her eyes allayed his fears.

"What?" She feigned innocence. "It's easy to do. He's a sweet kid."

"You're incredible." He bit his tongue. That was a mistake. Sure, he thought it. Believed it. But still. He hadn't meant to say it out loud. Not to her, anyway.

"Eric!" She chided, though her voice lacked the acrid tone he'd expected.

"Well!" He staunchly refused to apologize. He meant every word of it, and he wasn't about to take it away now.

Calleigh stared at her lap for a moment, clearly uncomfortable by his compliment. "I should shower." She hopped off the bed again, but Eric was ready and standing by in case there was a repeat of wooziness during round two.

"I'm fine, Eric." And she was, apparently.

She showered quickly, fixed her hair and makeup, and exited the bathroom in a puff of steam. Eric had managed to find all the things she'd listed, though she secretly wondered how he felt about going through her drawer in search of the perfect bra.

"My coffee, please." She held out her hand and waited with a smirk for him to hand her the steaming, nutty beverage. Inhaling the scent deeply, she smiled and relaxed. "Smells like heaven."

"Lots of media today." He warned her. "They were all over me when I came in."

"Thanks for the heads up." She thanked him in between sips of his homemade coffee. "Are they asking questions?"

"Am I going to try to get custody? Am I related to them? Am I the same Eric Delko that was shot in the head a few years ago?"

Calleigh's mouth tightened at the mention of the shooting. This was preposterous. How dare they use this against him! If anything, that event grounded him. Matured him. Made him more sensitive.

"It's okay, Calleigh." He noticed her frown, and he knew exactly what she was thinking. "Don't worry about it."

"It's none of their business." She spat angrily.

"We both knew this would get splashed all over the papers. I don't know why I thought I could personally escape their nosing around my business."

She knew he was right, but it didn't make it any easier to swallow. "They recognized me yesterday when I came in." She remembered the reporter's question from the day before.

"I'm sorry you're about to get dragged into this."

"Can't be helped."

They sat in silence, and drank their coffee until Eric broke in. "Social services is investigating me to see if I'm a fit guardian." The frown on his face wasn't anger; it was fear. Calleigh recognized this immediately.

"You'll be fine. Don't worry."

"I just don't want anything I've done to…I don't want anything to affect them."

"I know." She thought for a moment before adding. "Will you mother vouch for you?"

"Yes. But that's not the point."

It really wasn't.

"Have they contacted the grandfather?"

"He wants them to stay here." It wasn't as heartless as it sounded. Carlos Palacio loved his grandchildren dearly. They were the only parts of his daughter left on earth. Still, he recognized that they would have better lives if they stayed in America, and he was fine with the idea of Eric gaining custody, as well. If it was what his daughter wanted, he was willing to go along with it. He just wanted the best for his grandchildren.

"That's one hurdle crossed."

"I talked to my realtor last night." It sounded like a change of topic, but it wasn't really.

"You really are selling your place?"

"You heard my sister. It's not big enough for all of us." He made a point not to say "all three of us." He was hoping that Calleigh would catch his omission and include herself in the equation. "I figure I'll have a better chance with the judge if I have a nice home for them, their own rooms. You know. The works."

"That's really sweet of you, Eric." As crushed as she was, she couldn't deny that it was precious. Thoughtful. Loving. Totally Eric.

"I guess I'm going to start looking at places this weekend."

"That's really fast!" She wasn't sure she wanted everything to change that quickly.

"I want to get all this moving. Make sure it looks like I'm serious. You know. Reliable. Responsible."

"You're all those things, Eric. Relax." She reached out and rested a comforting hand on his. "You've got nothing to worry about."

"I'm a single guy with a track record for…wild behavior." His voice was low and dry. "I can't just sit back and assume I'm the model for parent of the year, here. I'm going to have to prove I can do this."

"You'll let me know if I can do anything to help, then?" She squeezed his hand reassuringly, pleased when he returned the gesture.

"Wanna go house hunting with me?"

His suggestion surprised her. Shocked her. "Me?"

"You're a woman." He pointed out the obvious, and then hurriedly continued before she could get the wrong idea. "You have a knack for picking out all those important details that make something a home." She didn't respond immediately, so he kept talking, tripping over his own words. "I mean…your house is really nice. And you know more about kids than I do. I figured you'd have a better idea of what would be necessary than I would. Don't think you have to! I mean…I just…I didn't…"

"Eric, relax." She shushed him with a smile. "I'd be honored to help. Who's going to watch Elena?"

"My mom will." He knew she wouldn't mind a bit.

"Well, I guess it's a…plan." She bit her tongue before she said "date."

"Alright."

"I better get to work." She gestured toward the clock on the wall. "Don't want to be late."

"How's it going without me?"

"We'll manage." She shrugged, but her eyes twinkled. "You just take care of this little one."

"You know I will."

"I do." She bent and kissed a sleeping Elena goodbye, waved once more to Eric, and rushed out the door.

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R/R!!!!!!


	20. Buyer's Market

Author's Note: There isn't too much to say about this chapter. It is very self-explanatory. I do need to thank my personal financial specialist/tutor, though. Thanks for expaining the home-buying process to me. It makes the story better (or it will, when I get there). Hmmmm. A hint? Ohhh. Okay. Don't sue. I'm not getting paid. I own nothing except for a bunch of text books and an old tv that doesn't even work anymore. Feel free to review, though! Really.

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"Eric, where is she?" Calleigh paced outside a now-empty hospital room, terrified at the prospect of what might have happened to the little girl who used to occupy it.

"Right here." He calmed her with a slight chuckle.

"Where is here?"

"4K." He paused as he walked outside the room to look at the room number. "Room 4322."

"Not funny." She spat as the terror abated slightly.

"I'm not laughing." Well, not much anyway.

She rushed upstairs, but stopped in the stairwell on the third floor to compose herself. She smoothed down her hair, straightened her shirt and jacket, and took a deep breath before exiting. Eric still had his head poked out of the doorway, smiling apologetically at her.

"I'm sorry." He held up his hands in defense. "They just moved her a few minutes ago from the PICU."

"She's okay, then?"

"She's fine." He actually hugged her, feeling the tension and relief practically falling off her. "This is a step-down unit. It means she's recovering nicely. The doctors say she can go home in two or three more days."

As shocked as she was by the fact that Eric was hugging her, she was comforted by the news of Elena's fast recovery.

For his part, Eric was trying to take it all in. The feeling of Calleigh in his arms. The smell of her shampoo and hair products as he bent his head down and brushed a feather-light kiss to the top of her head. How warm she felt. Soft and strong at the same time. Alive and real and perfect.

"Eric?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I go in now?" She didn't mind the physical contact. A new level of intimacy, yes. Unwarranted and unwanted? Definitely not. But she did want to say hello to Pablo and Elena after a long day at work.

"Sure. Sorry." He quickly released her and stood uncomfortable while she smiled at him shyly and slipped inside.

Elena did look better; even better than she had the day before, in fact.

"Calleigh!" Elena's and Pablo's sunny greeting warmed her heart. Opening her arms, she stooped and hugged first Pablo, then bent beside the bed and hugged Elena. This was beginning to be her ritual. Coming home from work, going to the hospital with dinner, spending time with Eric and the kids. It was…nice.

They ate their dinner, played with the kids, and Calleigh gathered up Pablo and his things when it was time to go. Eric had spent the evening bragging about how Pablo was a natural at the batting cages the night before. After a few practice swings, apparently he'd caught on just nicely. She found herself wishing she'd been there to witness the event in person. She could just picture Eric standing proudly behind Pablo, teaching him the proper way to hold the bat, count and swing and wait. If his day-old smile was any indication, he'd had just as much fun as Pablo.

"You had a good tine last night, huh?" She asked him on the way down to the car.

"Yeah." He giggled. "It was really fun."

"I'm glad."

The weekend came soon enough. Elena was still in the hospital, but was slated to be released the next day. Calleigh scurried around the house early Saturday morning cleaning and baking in preparation for Elena's return the next afternoon. Eric was planning a welcome home party, and she was only too eager to assist. The realtor arrived promptly at eleven o'clock, shocking Calleigh into stunned silence, eyes wide. Eric noticed her countenance and smiled as he introduced her, not even noticing how he placed his hand on her lower back as he escorted her out the door to the car. He chivalrously insisted that she sit shotgun, opting instead to sit beside Pablo and entertain him in the back seat. It was a little cramped, but it was worth it. Calleigh was worth it.

The first house was a bust. It was in his price range, but he hated it.

"Carpet needs replaced." Calleigh commented as soon as they walked in. "Padding, too."

"How can you tell?"

"Smell that?"

"Yeah."

"Cat." She wrinkled her nose and made an adorable face. "Soaked all the way through. Can't clean it. Have to replace it." She turned to the realtor. "Do you know what kind of floor is under the carpet?"

The woman gave her a blank look and shrugged, so Calleigh let it rest. The whole house was cramped. He wanted more for Elena and Pablo. Nicer.

The second house was only marginally better than the first. It didn't smell like cat urine, but it needed serious work.

"Can they take down the wall paper?" Calleigh was actually dizzy. The floral wallpaper was so busy she thought the room might actually be moving.

"They just put it up." The exasperated woman gasped.

"Sorry." She mouthed quietly to Eric when she pulled him aside. "I don't think she likes me. I'll be quiet."

"No, no." He assured her, caressing her shoulder lightly. "Please. I need your help. You've bought a house before. My condo was brand new when I moved in. This is all new to me."

"Am I being too pushy?"

"Did it work when you bought your house?" He tilted his head and gave her a knowing look.

"Yes." She admitted, raising her chin a hair.

"Then by all means, continue. Please."

"If you're sure."

"I am."

"Okay then. Not this one."

"Yeah, I didn't think so, either."

The third house had no storage, and no backyard to speak of, so both Calleigh and Eric disregarded it. By the forth house, Eric had the inkling that his realtor was getting frustrated with him; or rather, with Calleigh. Leaning close to her ear as he walked up the walk to the fifth house, he whispered in her ear.

"Play along."

"What?"

"Play along." He had that mischievous look in his eyes, and Calleigh knew that whatever he had in mind would be well worth it.

His eyes locked on hers, begging permission for a moment before he reached an arm around her waist. His hand clasped securely around her hip, fingers toying lightly on her hip bone as he called out to the realtor.

"How are the closets in this one?"

The realtor's eyes lit up wide as she watched Eric fawning over Calleigh. As uncomfortable as Calleigh felt with Eric's intimate ministrations, she gamely played along, tilting her head up a little and planting a gentle kiss along his jaw as she murmured just loud enough to be heard across the room.

"Do you think the bed will fit in here?"

The room went mute for a moment as all movement and speech halted. Eric forced himself to swallow the lump in his throat and blink a few times before he responded to her in an equally seductive tone.

"Baby, we don't need a bed for that."

Calleigh's stomach tied itself into knots as his voice, lower and more gravelly than normal, reverberated against her insides. Two can play at this game, she decided.

"Don't I know it." She straightened up and walked off, swaying her hips a tad more than was really necessary for added effect. Grabbing Pablo's hand, she suggested that they go check out the backyard. Eric stood, rooted to the floor, staring at the space she'd just vacated. The things that woman did to him. Sure, the game had been his idea, but she'd raised it to a new level; made it a high art.

Eric was just about to give up. He'd had enough. There were no nice houses in his price range. He'd never be approved for a loan big enough to buy the kind of home he wanted. Four bedrooms. Two bathrooms minimum. Backyard. Big kitchen. The kitchen was very important to him. His mother's kitchen was the meeting place of the house. It was the room where everyone ended up, talking and eating and sharing. A nice kitchen was central to his idea of home. He found he kept comparing the rooms in all these houses to his mother's house. To Calleigh's home. He couldn't picture her in these houses. They were too plain. Too dark. Too dingy. He wanted a home full of light and warmth. Rooms with big windows, good views, and an abundance of storage. Having been privy very recently to the innermost parts of Calleigh's home, he couldn't bring himself to think too hard about a structure he couldn't picture her living in.

"What about that one?" They were in the car on the way back home, tired and hungry and sore when Calleigh suddenly pointed to a beautiful terra cotta-colored home. It was built in the colonial Spanish hacienda style, with grand Moorish archways and elegant trim. Shining marble floors greeted him at the entrance and continued throughout. It had a fenced-in backyard, spacious rooms, and plenty of light.

"Why are they selling this?" He couldn't imagine letting go of a place like this.

"The owners just sent their youngest off to college, and figured they'd move into a smaller place." The realtor explained patiently, trying to not stare as Eric and Calleigh kept up their act. Pablo seemed to have caught on as well, and snuggled up to Eric to complete the picture. He didn't mind the attention Calleigh and Eric immediately lavished on him at all. The whole day had been fun, in his opinion. It was like getting a free pass to peek into other people's homes. The first house had been "yucky" in his opinion, and he had stated as much.

This place, though, was a wonder to Pablo's eight year old mind. He couldn't imagine living in a place like this one, so beautiful and shiny.

"I want this one." He murmured into Calleigh's ear, lips brushing against her skin and making her shiver with sensation.

"Don't be too hasty." She cautioned him. "You've only been looking one day. There's bound to be others you like."

"I like this one." He persisted. "It's in a great school district. It has everything I'm looking for. The price is a little high, but I can make an offer and try to talk them down."

"In this market, you'll probably succeed, too." She agreed with him.

"I want this one." He paused before asking. "What do you think?"

"Eric, it's your house." She hushed her voice as the realtor walked back into the room. "I can't make that decision for you."

"I'm not asking you to choose for me." His voice was pleading. "Just tell me your honest opinion."

She looked around her for a moment, and then turned in his arms to answer him. "I love it. It's beautiful."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "It's a good investment. Just make sure you have an electrician check it out, have an inspector take a look. Cover all your bases before you get too far ahead of yourself."

"Can you make a list?" He didn't want to forget an important step and end up buying something that would be a danger to his newfound…family.

"Of course." She nodded. "I'll get it all together once we get home."

Eric liked the sound of that.

It turned out that the lovely house truly was far out of his price range. He'd have to downsize, a fact that made him almost weep.

"Why don't you look for a three-bedroom, instead of four?" Calleigh suggested as they went over his finances that evening.

He didn't reply right away. He was busy day dreaming. The forth bedroom wasn't a play room. It wasn't an office. A gym. A media room. It was a bedroom. A nursery. He could already see the furniture. Walls painted pastel yellow and mint green. White crib, matching dresser and changing table. Rocking chair with a cushion, hand made by his mother to match the crib set. Booties and rattles. A baby. His baby. Their baby. His and Calleigh's. Then the thought arrived to him that he probably shouldn't share these ideas with Calleigh, and he scrambled to think of a good lie.

"I think four is better. Guests. You know. They need somewhere to stay."

He had a point, she admitted. A guest room is important; as evidenced by the little boy currently occupying hers. Where would he sleep if she didn't have a guest room?

"Okay." She squared her chin and pointed to the map of the greater Miami metropolitan area spread out on the coffee table. "So, let's look beyond the city limits. Property is cheaper away from the city. Away from the coast."

"No way." He shook his head vehemently. "I want them go grow up near the coast. Smell the salt air."

"Eric," She laid an understanding hand on his. "It's a really sweet idea, but you have to decide what's the most important. Space or air. I mean room or a view. I mean…" She stammered with a laugh. "You know what I mean. It's expensive to live near the coast."

"You do."

She nodded silently a few times. "My dad helped me with the down payment, and he has a buddy at a bank that helped with the loan." She admitted. "It was a late graduation present. He set it up when I graduated from college, and let it grow interest."

"Must be nice to have friends in high places." That was an understatement, really. The way his financial outlook was headed, he wondered sometimes if he was truly the best person to take on this responsibility. He'd awakened in a cold sweat the night before, panicked about being able to provide for two small children on his own. Sure, he wanted someone else to help him out, but it wasn't like things were moving in that direction any time soon. Plus, he didn't want her to think that he was only interested because of her relationship with the kids, or her improved financial situation. No, he'd love her rich, destitute, whatever; he always had. Seeing her with his cousins was truly the cherry on top. Eric had suspected for some time that underneath all that professional armor was a loving, motherly woman. He'd never seen it before recently, but now that he'd caught a glimpse, he was hooked. Hopelessly addicted.

"I called my dad." Calleigh's sweet voice cut into his thoughts. "He called a friend of his to help with the legal stuff. If you want it." She added the last part hastily, with no small amount of contrition and guilt. "Pro bono."

"You're serious?" Perhaps her friends in high places helped him as well.

"Of course. My dad's a lawyer." She scoffed with a small smile. "Do you think I'd just sit back and watch all this without trying to help?"

"Calleigh," Eric moved his hand a few centimeters and encased her small hand in his. "You are helping."

"More than babysitting and picking up dinner."

"Calleigh, look around." She did, but with a puzzled look on her face. "You've opened your home to us. Spent your time, your money. Given up your space and your privacy. You've helped. You're helping. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate all this."

"You just did." She squeezed his hand for a moment before meeting his eyes, seeing in them only love and devotion. It took her breath away for a moment. "When is the hearing?"

"Tuesday morning." He was petrified. The hearing that would determine the fate of Pablo and Elena. Decide if he was a fit guardian. Establish whether or not his dreams would come true.

"It'll be alright." Calleigh promised him softly, laying her head on his shoulder for comfort. It was as much for her as it was for him. "I know it will."

Eric found that he wished he could have her conviction, but he relaxed against the back of the sofa anyway, drawing her back with him. He woke up a small while later to find her quiet and still, breathing steadily. He couldn't be sure if she was sleeping or not, but he savored the moment just the same. It was all within his reach.

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More later. After you review! Don't be greedy.


	21. Tell The Truth

Author's Note: Thanks for the warm and kind reviews! I'm so excited people are still reading this story! Here's a little more for you! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Again, please don't sue. I don't own anything. I'm not getting paid anything. I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes. I'm just writing for fun here (well, fun and reviews). Have a happy weekend!

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Eric was comfortable. Warm. Calleigh had shifted a little, and he was now confident that she was sleeping. Glancing at his watch, his heart sank at little at the display. It was getting late, and he needed to get to the hospital to relieve his mother of her vigil with Elena. As much as he wanted to see his little girl, he hated to leave Calleigh. Especially like this. Calleigh had just burrowed her head into the crook of his shoulder and his neck, letting out a deep, contented sigh.

Rolling his eyes back in his head a little, he asked for strength. "Calleigh?"

No response.

"Calleigh, I've gotta go to the hospital now."

Slowly, her eyes blinked open, a little disoriented at finding herself awake and in Eric's arms.

"My mom's still at the hospital, Cal." He murmured against her hair. "I have to get over there."

"I'm sorry." She sat up and stretched a little. "I didn't mean to fall asleep." Truthfully, she wasn't upset at herself. She wasn't embarrassed, and that shocked her a little. It was Eric, after all. He'd never use this against her. And it was nice. She felt…comfortable there.

"Don't be sorry, Cal." He ran his hand lightly down her spine. "I've just need to jet. Are you sure you don't want me to take Pablo with me? Give you a night off?"

"Don't be silly, Eric." The sound of her laughter warmed him. "He's no trouble, and he's already asleep."

"Yeah." Gratitude swelled in his heart. "Thanks."

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"Mami!" Eric tiptoed into Elena's hospital room and found his mother sitting in the chair beside the bed sipping coffee and talking…to Elena. "Why isn't she asleep, yet?"

"Oh, Eric, be sensible." His mother chided him gently. "She's in the hospital. Do you really expect me to NOT spoil her a little?"

"Is that ice cream? This late at night?"

For privacy's sake, Clorinda continued to speak to her son in English, although she was amused at his newfound parental instincts. "Eric, my boy. If I'm going to be Grandma, you're going to have to get used me spoiling her appetite, letting her stay up past bedtime. Sometimes both at once."

"Ma."

"Eric!"

"Thanks for watching her today." His shoulder's hung in defeat. His mother was right, and Elena deserved to be spoiled a little. Okay, a lot.

"It was my pleasure." She smiled warmly at the little girl slurping her ice cream. "We had a good time." Pausing and searching her son's face, she added softly. "How was house hunting?"

"No dice today." He shook his head sadly. He'd really hoped to just find the perfect house today, put an offer down, and settle this whole thing as quickly as possible.

"You didn't find one you like?"

"I didn't find one I can afford." This was not the way Eric had pictured his life turning out. Wages being garnished. Single. Trying to get custody of someone else's children.

"It will work out, Mijo." She hugged her son, missing the little boy he'd been, but proud of the man he'd become. "It will work out."

"Calleigh keeps telling me the same thing."

Clorinda pulled back with a wide grin. "Tell me about your Calleigh, mijo."

"First of all, Ma, she's not my Calleigh."

"I think that is a matter of opinion." She was not about to let him get away with just that. "Tell me about her."

"Ma, you know Calleigh. You've met her plenty of times."

"So. Tell me about her. She's letting you live with her. Taking care of Pablo. I've seen her with Elena. She's a good woman, Eric."

"Yeah. She is." There was no denying that. He wouldn't even try.

"You are in love with her." It wasn't exactly news to Clorinda. She had a mother's intuition about these things. The way Eric looked at his beautiful woman, the way the young woman looked at him. Looked at the children. It said it all.

"Ma."

"Don't 'Ma' me, young man!" She chided her baby boy. "You love her, and don't try to tell me that you don't."

Eric couldn't believe he was having this conversation with his mother. Uncomfortable didn't begin to cover this; he frantically looked for a hole for him to crawl into. Maybe a nice cave. A closet he could lock himself into. Anything to make this line of questioning stop. Being interrogated by your mother was not high on his list of fun things to do today. Or ever.

"Can we not talk about this?"

"Of course."

They said their goodbyes, and she left. Settling himself down beside Elena with a warm, wet washcloth, he wiped the ice cream off her face and hands. Apparently, four years olds weren't known for their ability to eat anything neatly. Now that she was hopped up on sugar, he had little hope of getting her to sleep any time soon, despite the late hour. Instead of watch her sleep, he got to talk with her for a while. She was in good spirits, and had apparently had a great day with her new "abuela." They'd played games, eaten lots of junk food. Sang traditional Cuban children's songs that made her remember her mother. That had caused a few tears; tears that Eric was sad he'd missed. He wished he could have been there to comfort her, but he knew from experience how good his mother was at comforting children.

Elena was excited about getting to go home from the hospital the next morning, and she chattered happily about all the fun things she wanted to do. She wanted to go to the beach. She wanted to swim in the pool like Pablo got to. She wanted to go the park and play. She had so many ideas. So many dreams. Eric smiled as she told him how she wanted to take ballet lessons. He could see it. His little Elena on stage in a pink tutu, twirling around to the music. He'd make it happen.

Morning finally came, and Eric carefully helped Elena put on the jeans and pretty yellow shirt that Calleigh had packed. She's picked out a pair of new shoes, and a barrette, too. Eric tried a few times to put her hair up properly in the confounded contraption, but it just ended up looking silly.

"We'll have Calleigh fix it when we get home, okay?" He helped her slip her jacket on, and filled out the rest of the paperwork. The surgeon had volunteered his time, eschewing payment in favor of doing a good deed. The rest of the staff had followed suit, and even lobbied the hospital administration to not charge him for the use of the facilities. She was all better, going to grow up healthy, and he wasn't going to go bankrupt paying for it. Those were the best presents he could have gotten that morning. Now he was going to take his baby girl home and have a party.

"Eric!" She called out happily from the backseat. "¡Mire! ¡Globos!" (Look! Balloons!)

Calleigh and Pablo had decorated the house with pink and white balloons. Pablo had made a banner, very carefully with markers, welcoming her home. The driveway was packed with cars. Calleigh, it appeared, had invited his entire family to partake in the festivities, and they were all standing on the front porch, waving and smiling and cheering. Parking the car, he stepped to the back door and got her out of the booster seat. Lifting her out, he perched her on his arm and smiled as she waved and greeted everyone. Little Elena, it seems, loved to be the center of attention. Then again, what little girl didn't?

The party was a hit. Eric's sisters brought food. Calleigh cooked. His mother cooked. Everyone brought presents. Mostly it was clothes, since they'd be needing them, but presents are fun, no matter what's inside. Pablo was excited that he was given gifts as well, but that's just the kind of family Eric had. No one wanted Pablo to feel left out.

The food was fabulous. The music was festive. Elena was precious and precocious as always. Eric wandered into the living room a few hours into the celebration and found Calleigh rocking a drowsy child to sleep. It seemed as though the party had worn her out, and now, she'd gone looking for Calleigh for comfort. He was right, of course. Elena had caught Calleigh in the kitchen by the hand and dragged her into the living room, "pushed" her toward the sofa, then climbed on her lap and fell asleep. How cute was this picture, Eric though. On his way out the door, he paused and turned, and snapped a photo with his cell phone. This was a moment he always wanted to remember.

Pablo was playing outside in the backyard with Eric's nephews and nieces, cousins, and random other children. He wasn't quite sure who all the kids belonged to, but they seemed to get along with Pablo, so he didn't mind. Sonya had been strangely quiet, standing back and observing the goings on. She watched as Eric sat Elena on his lap and held her plate of cake and ice cream for her. She watched as he played with Pablo and the other kids, cleaned up scraped knees and elbows, and lastly, she watched him take the picture of Calleigh and Elena.

The four of them had a quiet Sunday. Calleigh had to work, but Eric took another day off to make sure Elena was settled in well. He took the kids to the park and let them play. Elena had him push her on the swing and he thought he'd died and gone to heaven. It was as if the gods were suddenly smiling on him, and they'd finally decided to give him some of the things he dreamed of. Playing with the children, even though he had to keep reminding Elena to take it easy and not pull out her stitches, made his day wonderful. When she finally started to get tired, he packed them back into the car and went home. Elena fell asleep on the way, so he carried her into the house and put her down for a nap. She was still sleeping when Calleigh got home from work.

"Hey!" She greeted Eric with a big smile as she walked into the kitchen. He was cooking dinner for them, and it smelled amazing. "What are you making?"

"Chili." He held out the spoon he was using to stir; offering her a taste.

"Mmmm." Her eyes opened wide in pleasant surprise. "That's really good. Why didn't I know that you can cook?"

"I don't know."

"Do I smell cornbread?" She turned on the light to the oven and peered through the glass. "You made cornbread?"

"There's what, five ingredients?" He chuckled, adding a bit more cumin. "I think I can handle stirring and pouring."

"Well, it looks delicious. Thank you for making dinner."

"It's the least I can do." He assured her. "Elena's sleeping and Pablo's outside…" He peered out the window. "Kicking around that soccer ball my mom got him."

"Looks like you've got everything under control here." Honestly, she was impressed. Clearly, Eric was up to this challenge. She'd never doubted the fact that he would make a great dad someday; she just didn't figure it would take place this quickly and in this manner. "I'm really impressed, Eric."

"It's just chili, Cal." He scoffed a little.

"Not with the chili." She guessed he knew what she was talking about, though, and was deflecting her praise out of modesty. "Well, not just impressed with the chili."

"Thanks, Cal."

"I mean it."

"I know you do." Calleigh didn't just dole out praise like candy, so he was inclined to take her words to heart.

"You working tomorrow?" She asked him over a bowl of chili later.

"Yeah. My mom's watching the kids."

"And the hearing is Tuesday? What time?"

"You're going?"

"Of course."

"Two." He grimaced a little. The suspense was killing him. He wasn't sure how he was expected to function until then. Act normal. Work and sleep and eat.

"What means 'hearing'?" Pablo piped up, mouth still full of chili.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Eric instinctively quipped, then stopped, shocked at himself. "I don't know where that came from!"

"My guess is your mother." She grinned at him with a soft laugh.

"Probably." He turned back to Pablo. "It's when a judge, un juez, decides if someone is capable of being a parent."

"I don't…"

"They listen to different people talk, and at the end, the judge tells everyone what he thinks."

"About what?"

"Me." He said simply, shoulders slumping in defeat.

"A judge is going to listen to what different people think about how good a dad Eric is able to be."

"Oh." He seemed to ponder Calleigh's words for a moment. "Can I tell him?"

"Tell who, sweetie?" Calleigh asked him.

"El juez. Can I tell him Eric is good dad?"

"If they ask, you can tell them whatever you want."

"Okay."

________________________________________________________________

Monday seemed to pass quickly, and Calleigh was grateful for the fact. She and Eric took the kids shopping after she got home and got them new clothes to wear to the hearing. Pablo got his first suit, and Calleigh's heart tugged a little as she watched Eric teach him how to tie his tie. The shoes she'd purchased for him the previous week would go just fine. They picked up a nice belt and an extra dress shirt, and headed to the girl's department.

"Elena, do you see something you like?" Calleigh didn't that was for sure. "Eric, I can't shop for her here."

"Why?"

"Look around!" He did. "If some of this stuff was in my size, I'd wear it. Okay, I wouldn't, but Maxine would."

"Yeah?" He wasn't sure he understood the problem.

"Eric, she's four."

"Oh."

They moved on to a different store, and Calleigh finally found something she liked; something she thought was appropriate for a little girl. She found a pleated grey skirt and a baby blue cardigan sweater. Eric thought they were done, but apparently, Calleigh had other ideas. She grabbed a little blouse with a Peter Pan collar, a pair of tights, and a pair of Mary Janes. Then she seemed satisfied that her little girl would be properly dressed, they paid and left.

__________________________________________________________________

Calleigh arrived at the courthouse promptly at 1:45 the next afternoon. It hadn't taken much convincing to get Horatio to agree to let her go. He even showed up himself, although the reception she received from Eric's cousins surprised him a bit. Elena pulled her hand free from Eric's and sprinted down the hallway, her skirt and hair flying behind her.

"Calleigh!" Elena called as she ran. "Calleigh, I look pretty!"

"You sure do, sweetie, but try not to run until you get your stitches out, okay?" At Elena's blank look, she switched to Spanish and admonished the small girl in her arms to take it slow for a few more days. Horatio watched in awe as Calleigh shifted Elena onto her hip and walked up to where Eric was waiting with his family.

They entered the court room together, but Calleigh sat in the gallery with the kids and Eric's family. Pablo sat quietly during the proceedings, but Elena got antsy. She slid off her seat, the heels of her shoes clicking loudly on the marble floor.

"Elena!" Clorinda admonished. She leaned down and whispered something in her ear that made the little girl's face scrunch up as she hung her head and climbed back onto the bench.

"Come here, honey." Calleigh reached over and pulled Elena onto her lap, whispering to her.

The judge was talking to Eric, asking him questions. They grilled him about his financial situation, his private life, his shooting. They asked him about his family, his recently discovery of his paternity. His citizenship. Eric stayed cool until they asked about Calleigh. She was watching his face carefully, and not too many other people would have noticed, but she saw his jaw clench for a second and his eyes tighten. They both knew this would come up; they knew it would be an issue. It looked bad, and they both knew it, no matter how innocent the situation was.

"There is no romantic relationship between CSI Duquesne and I." Eric stated flatly. "She's helping me with the children, that's all."

"So you're not sleeping together?"

"No. Never. She's a friend and a coworker."

"So do you think it's healthy for Pablo and Elena to become attached to Ms. Duquesne, and then snatch them away when you move out?"

Eric was quiet for a moment as he pondered the question. It was a good question. The man had a point. He hadn't thought about it because he didn't plan on separating them. He didn't want to separate them. He wanted to buy a big house, ask Calleigh to marry him, and move all four of them into this new home. He wanted happily ever after…for everyone. How was he going to explain this to Elena? He glanced up at where they were sitting and smiled at the picture. Elena was fast asleep on Calleigh's lap, and Calleigh was gently stroking her long brown hair and rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"Mr. Delko? Please answer the question."

"I…uh…I don't know."

"You don't know."

"No." His eyes were locked on Calleigh and Elena. "I just know that I can take good care of them. I can be a good parent. I love them, isn't that the most important thing?"

"What about your job, Mr. Delko?"

"I have one."

The judge chuckled a little at his response. "That's not what I meant. You have a very time-consuming, dangerous job. How do you propose to take care of children with this kind of job?"

"What, you're telling me that cops can't be good parents?" Eric scoffed. "I have a job that puts me in the paths of criminals; therefore I'm not fit to be a parent?"

"That's not what we're saying, Mr. Delko…"

"No, I think it is what you're saying." Eric interrupted the judge, irritated at the insinuation. "I took an oath. I promised to protect and serve. I took a bullet to my brain because of that oath. I am stable. Educated. Employed. I love these children. They're my cousins. They're my family. Their late mother asked me to care for her children; now that she can't. She was my cousin. I want to honor her wishes."

"You never met this woman?"

"No. She lived in Cuba."

"Why do this, then? Why take in two children because some dead woman you've never met asked you to?"

"She's family." He shrugged like it was the simplest answer to the dumbest question he'd ever heard. "They're family." He nodded to Pablo and Elena.

"You still haven't answered the question, Mr. Delko."

"Actually, I have. I just didn't give you an answer that you understand."

Calleigh smiled at his doggedness. Things were so black and white to him. Right. Wrong. Love. Family. Responsibility. Not too many people would just understand what he meant when he said "they're family." Not everyone would understand that "family" was enough. It wasn't the only thing; there was plenty of love, too. Still, she got it. She understood it. It's part of what made Eric the man he is. The man she…loves.

"Mr. Delko, please answer the question."

"I want to "take them in" as you put it because they're my family. Because I love them. Because I know I can take good care of them. I can do this job. I know how important this is, and I have no intention of shirking this duty. I love children. I've always wanted children. Sure, I didn't plan on them coming ready-made, but sometimes life takes you places you didn't foresee. I want to take them in because I love them, and I don't understand why that isn't enough of a reason for you."

"I assure you, that's enough."

Calleigh was frustrated. They were asking all the wrong questions. They didn't seem to see what a good man Eric is. They didn't care how much he'd sacrificed, both personally and professionally, for Miami-Dade County. There was a lull in the questioning, and before anyone could stop him, Pablo shot up off the bench.

"Can I talk, too?"

"Shhh. Pablo, sit down." Calleigh tried to reach his arm without disturbing Elena. Eric's mother tried as well, but he managed to evade them both.

"¿Por favor?" He stepped into the aisle, and walked up towards the bench. "Can I talk?"

"Pablo, you need to go sit by Tia Clorinda and Calleigh."

"No."

"Pablo, honey, you can't do this."

The judge watched this interaction, noting the complete absence of anger or malice in Eric's voice. He wasn't upset with Pablo, he wasn't yelling at him. He just wanted him to go sit down and not disrupt the proceedings.

"Actually, Pablo, you can talk to me." The judge smiled down at the small boy, looking all dapper in his new clothes. "Mr. Delko, could you step down, please?"

"Yes, your honor." Eric stood and helped Pablo up onto the stand.

The judge turned and smiled at the bright-eyed little boy in the witness chair. "Pablo, do you know what it is to lie?"

"Lie?" Pablo thought for a moment; wracking his brain for all his English words. "Oh. To diga una mentira! Yes. I know. Tell…real things."

"Tell the truth." The judge corrected.

"Tell the truth." He repeated. "I tell the truth."

"Yes." The judge smiled at him. He was a cute child. "Okay, Pablo. I'm going to ask you some questions, okay?"

"First I can talk, please?"

"After I ask some questions."

"Okay."

"Pablo, do you like living with your cousin Eric?"

"Yes." He said it so affirmatively that Calleigh smiled involuntarily.

"Why is that?"

"Eric is nice to us. He takes care of us. He got Elena better."

"Can you tell me what that means? What it means to "get Elena better"?"

"She was sick, and Eric had doctors fix her heart. Now she's better."

"Yes, I heard. And I'm glad your sister is better."

"Me, too."

The judge asked Pablo a few questions, and then he kept his promise. He let Pablo speak his mind. Eric teared up a little as Pablo described how Eric was going to keep them together; how the mean lady said she'd only take in him, and some other lady would keep Elena. He told the judge how he'd promised his mother that he would take care of his baby sister, how he wanted to keep his promise to his mother. He explained in halted English how Eric took him to the batting cages, and how Elena had never been alone in the big hospital. He told them about the park, the pool, and the new shoes. Elena's welcome home party.

"Please, señor." He pleaded. "Do not make me go away from Elena. Please do not make us go back to Cuba. We like Eric. We stay with him."

"Thank you, Pablo. Is that all?"

"Yes."

"You can step down now."

"Let's take a short recess. I'll render my decision in hour."

________________________________________________________

A/N: Sorry. That's all for me for tonight. Reviews might equal chapter tomorrow. Or not. I'm not sure how I'm spending my last day of break yet. I'm thinking about climing a mountain. Literally. I'll keep you informed. R/R!!!!


	22. In Spanish, Please

Author's Note: Here's more. I don't have much to say about it. R/R. Thanks!

____________________________________________________________

Elena woke up when the commotion and bustle began around her. Straightening in Calleigh's lap, she whispered something quietly in her ear.

"Okay, sweat pea." Calleigh slid the little girl off her lap and stood. "Let's go."

"Calleigh!" Eric's voice halted her, and she turned around. "Where are you going?"

"Restroom." She glanced down at Elena as she tugged her hand forward. "We'll be right back."

"Oh. Okay."

They took care of business, then returned to the courtroom to mingle with the rest of the family. Eric was taking this hour as an opportunity to introduce Pablo to the rest of staff that had managed to sneak out of the lab in support. Calleigh watched as he stood proudly behind the boy, both hands on his shoulders and looking to all the world like the proud father she knew he really was. Biological or not, Eric was taking on all the responsibilities and duties of a father. A dad.

"And this," He gestured to Calleigh, waving her over. "Is Elena."

Natalia bent down and introduced herself in Spanish, earning her a timid smile and a handshake from Elena as she cowered behind Calleigh's legs.

"She's a little shy around new people sometimes." Calleigh explained as she attempted to wriggle her fingers a bit in Elena's death grip.

"I understand." Natalia winked at Elena and stood back up, striking up a conversation with Calleigh over nothing. She was watching her friend, though, while they talked. When Elena tugged on her hand and asked to be picked up, Calleigh didn't even pause in her sentence, she just bent down and lifted her carefully onto her hip. Natalia took note of the unconscious kisses that Calleigh placed on Elena's cheeks and forehead, and she definitely understood what was happening when Elena laid her head on Calleigh shoulder and smiled at her.

"So." She raised an eyebrow at Calleigh after Eric came and retrieved his baby girl, carrying her away to show her off to someone else. "What's up with you and Eric?"

"Nothing. Why?"

"You seem pretty cozy with those kids of his."

Calleigh eyed her critically for a moment. "They've been staying with me. I'm just helping out."

"Looks like you've done a good job of that."

"I'm just trying to help." She tried to shrug nonchalantly; act like it was nothing, no big deal. She knew it was a lie, though. It wasn't nothing. It was everything. She loved those children as much as he did, and she had no claim to them. Logically she knew it was absurd. She knew all along that they would eventually move away, and she'd warned herself against getting too attached. None of her efforts had worked, though. Something about those two children had endeared them to her in ways she had never even imagined possible.

"So, you want me to come over and console you when they leave?" Natalia read her mind a little, and it worried her. Was it that obvious?

"I'll be fine, Natalia." Calleigh waved her hand dismissively. "It was never going to be a permanent arrangement anyway."

"You love them." She pointedly didn't list who was included in 'them.'

"Spend five minutes with them, and you will, too."

"Call me." Natalia smirked internally. "I'll bring ice cream and beer."

"I'm fine."

"Of course you are."

_____________________________________________________________________

The judge, apparently, decided that he didn't have enough information to just carte blanche grant custody. Rather than hand out a decision, he decided to question additional people. He started with Eric's family; his mother, father, his sisters, aunts. Then he called Horatio.

"Eric Delko is an exemplary police officer." Horatio nodded coolly to the judge. "I trust him with the life of every member of my team. I trust him with my life. If anyone is capable of taking on this responsibility, he is."

"And you have children yourself, Lieutenant?"

"I have a son."

"And he lives with you?"

"No, your honor. He does not." The regret in Horatio's voice was unmistakable. "But that does not mean that I am incapable of recognizing a person who is up to the challenge."

"No, I suppose it doesn't." The judge smiled wryly at Horatio's response. He was no stranger to Lt. Caine's reputation. "Tell me, Lieutenant, Officer Delko has a reputation as a bit of a lady's man, does he not?"

"A lady's man?" The judge nodded. "Eric has changed a lot since I first hired him." He looked at the young man he was testifying for. "Whatever kind of reputation he may have had at one time, he does not have now. Your honor," He paused and relaxed his facial features. "We see the worst of people every day. We see what they're capable of doing, the evil they can perpetrate. It can get to you. It can make you jaded, callous. After all these years, this job has never done that to Eric. He's balanced. Cheerful. Loving. I've seen him with children, been to family gatherings. He loves his family. Loves children. He'd do anything to keep them safe. Protect them. You heard Pablo talk. He loves these children. If you're looking for a guardian who is willing to do anything for his family; then you've found him."

______________________________________________________________________

Eric sat stunned. Shocked. He had just been awarded "temporary custody." It could turn into something more permanent, but he'd have to submit to random home inspections from children's services, parenting lessons, and he'd have to move back to his home. No more fantasy; living with Calleigh like mom and dad and kids. Temporary custody. It was better than nothing, and the judge said he could file for full custody later, assuming that the case worker didn't have too many bad things to say about his parenting abilities. They'd find out in a few weeks.

"Mijo!" His mother hugged him tightly, so proud of him. "Congratulations."

"Thank you, Mami."

Calleigh would have hugged him, too, but her lap was still of sleeping child. "Congratulations, Eric. I'm so happy for you."

"Here, let me take her." He carefully reached out and lifted his new little girl into his arms without waking her; quite a feat in Calleigh's opinion.

"You've had some practice with this, huh?"

"You've met my family, right?" That grin of his would be her undoing. Those eyes. Those beautiful eyes. Chocolate brown and so deep with passion and emotion. The emotion she was seeing in them right now was not just excitement at the judge's decision, there was something else; something directed solely toward her.

"Pablo!" Eric smiled widely at his new legal charge. "Let's go home."

Pablo fit his hand into Calleigh's, looked up at her and smiled with his big brown eyes. Calleigh loved Pablo's eyes. They were so much like Eric's. She imagined that she could trace the family lines through those deep brown eyes. Eric must have gotten his eyes from his mother, and Pablo received his from his mother as well, who apparently had her father's eyes. Calleigh suddenly found herself looking into several generations of Eric's family, all reflected in Pablo's eyes.

"Have fun." She hugged him tightly and smiled. "I'll be home after work."

________________________________________________________________________

Calleigh went back to work, but Horatio let her go home early; her case load was light and he figured she'd want to go home and celebrate.

"Ms. Duquesne," He called before she left the office. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

"Of course, Horatio." She followed him into his office with a smile. "What do you need?"

"Nothing. Nothing." He wasn't sure how to begin this. "Ms. Duquesne, may I ask what your relationship is with…Eric?"

"We're friends, Horatio. Nothing more." Technically, it was the truth. They'd never kissed, gone out on a date. Nothing.

"The children seem to be fond of you."

"Horatio, just because his cousins like me, that doesn't mean I'm dating Eric. And you know that. What are you really asking here?"

"I'm just saying. That little Elena seemed very comfortable with you."

"Horatio."

"You're very good with children, Ms. Duquesne."

"Horatio."

"You are aware of the department's policy on fraternizing."

"Yes, I am."

"Just," He paused again. There were things more important than department policy. "Those children love you. And Eric is rather fond you as well."

"What are you saying, Horatio?"

"Have a seat, Ms. Duquesne." He gestured to the chair on the other side of the desk. She obliged, and he continued. "You two are friends. I've known you both for quite some time. You both deserve some happiness. That's all I'm saying."

"First you tell me to remember department policy, and now you seem to be implying something quite the opposite." She raised an eyebrow at him. "What exactly are you insinuating?"

"Calleigh, I've come to think of you as family. You know this."

She smiled and nodded, a little surprised at his use of her first name. Still, the confession warmed her heart.

"I have some amount of pull in this department. I care about you. I care about Eric. I'm just saying; he cares about you, and I don't mean in the strictly Platonic sense. Don't let your career get in the way of your life."

"Horatio."

He held up a hand. This wasn't going as planned. "Calleigh, I gave up my entire life for this job. What do I have to show for it? Nothing. No wife. No family. Don't become me. You deserve better. That's all I'm saying."

"I'll keep it in mind."

"You do that."

"Is there anything else?"

"No, ma'am. That's all. Have a good evening."

"You, too."

"Drive safely."

"I always do." She rose, then turned before she left his office. "Horatio?"

"Yes?"

"You have something, you know." She hated that he felt this alone. "You have all of us. We may not be related, but we're still family."

"Yes, I suppose we are."

"You should come over tonight." She had an idea. "I imagine we'll be celebrating. Food. Games. Probably more along the lines of chicken nuggets and Chutes and Ladders, but still, it'll be fun. You should come."

"I just might."

"I hope you do."

_______________________________________________________________

"I brought ice cream!" Calleigh called out as she walked through her front door. Plenty of people were already at her house, not that she minded. She'd expected as much, given how close Eric was with the rest of his family.

"Calleigh, mija!" Clorinda surprised her with a warm hug. "I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for my Eric."

"It's nothing, really." She assured her with a smile. "He's a good friend."

"Well, so are you, sweetheart."

"I, uh, I brought ice cream." She lamely held up her grocery bag, unable to formulate an adequate response. First Horatio, now Eric's mother. Was everyone trying to get them together?

"Let me help you with that." Clorinda took the bags from her and walked into the kitchen.

True to his word, Horatio did show up. He even brought cupcakes.

"Pablo, you remember Mr. Caine, right?" Eric reintroduced Horatio and Pablo.

"Yes." He wasn't quite sure what to make of the red-haired man. They hadn't had too many interactions yet, but he had no reason to dislike him.

"Pablo, I have something for you." Horatio squatted down to Pablo's level and presented him with a small packaged, wrapped in red paper.

"What is it?" His eager eyes lit up like the sun at the prospect of a present.

"Open it up and see."

Pablo glanced up at Eric for permission, but he just nodded.

"Okay." He eagerly tore into the paper, but he looked up at little puzzled at it's contents. "What is it?"

"This, Pablo," Horatio explained patiently. "Is a Spanish to English translator."

"A what?"

"It's an electronic translator." He pointed to the tip. "You run this part over a bit of written text, and it automatically translates it for you. You'll be in school soon, and I thought that this might come in handy with your homework."

"Wow!"

"H., that's really nice of you." Eric was a bit speechless at the thoughtful gift from his boss. "That had to be expensive, though."

"Eric, we're practically family, right?"

"H., we are family. You married my sister."

"Well then, can't an uncle spoil his new nephew?"

"Of course." He looked back down at Pablo and pointed to the gift. "What do you say, Pablo?"

"Thank you!" He wasn't quite sure what it was for, but given Eric's reaction, it was something very nice. "Thank you very much, Mr. Caine."

"You are very welcome, young man."

"H.," Eric walked after his boss. "H., I wanted to thank you again."

"Eric, you already did." He scanned the room, but didn't find what he was looking for. "Now, where can I find Elena?"

"You going to spoil her, too?"

"Do you really need to ask?"

Eric laughed a little at his response. "No. I guess not." He looked around, but wasn't sure why. He knew exactly where Elena was. "She's outside with Calleigh."

"She is very comfortable with Calleigh." He had observed their interactions at the courthouse, and given Eric's apparent knowledge of her whereabouts without even looking he wasn't wrong.

"Calleigh's been a real help with them this past week."

"I can see that." Horatio glanced around the living room. "Out here?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." He glanced back at Eric before heading outside to join the rest of the festivities.

"Ladies." He nodded his hello to the women gathered on the patio.

"Horatio!" Clorinda greeted her wayward son-in-law with a hug. "I'm so glad you came."

"So am I, ma'am." He hugged her back. "Now, where can I find a Miss Elena Palacio?"

"Me?!" Elena piped up hearing her name.

"You." He knelt down in front of the happy little girl. "This is for you, my dear." With as much fanfare as he could muster he presented her with a small box from the pocket of his jacket.

"¿Para mí? She exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement at the prospect of yet another present.

"Sí." He nodded with a gentle smile. It was easy to see why Eric and Calleigh fell in love with these children.

Calleigh urged her to go ahead and open it, and her heart nearly broke as she saw what Horatio had purchased for the little girl.

"¿Un collar? ¿Para mí? ¡Tan bonito!" She exclaimed happily. (A necklace? For me? It's so pretty!)

"It's a locket." Horatio explained to Calleigh as she helped Elena open the tiny heart pendant. "I thought she might like to carry around a picture of her mother."

Calleigh explained to Elena what the locket was for, and was not the slightest bit surprised when the little girl threw her arms around his neck in thanks.

"I have a picture." Clorinda suggested. "I will make a copy and we'll put it right in. What a thoughtful gift, Horatio. Thank you."

"I just thought she might like it." He shrugged, trying to deflect the attention. His efforts were in vain, though, for he had apparently just made a friend for life. Elena attached herself to him, climbing in his lap when he sat down with the ladies and trying out all her English on him. With her limited English and his limited Spanish, the two had a very amusing conversation, but he found he enjoyed it more than any interaction he'd had in months.

Elena quickly tired of their stilted conversation, so she slid off Horatio's lap and pulled on his hand.

"I believe, ladies." Horatio nodded his goodbyes to the women. "That I am being summoned elsewhere."

"Una flor." She pointed to a flower in Calleigh's back garden. "Una flor."

"Una flor." Horatio hunched down and repeated her words, figuring he knew what she had in mind. "Flower." He pointed to the same yellow crocus and repeated it a few times. "Flower."

"Flower!" She squealed, excited that her game was working. Looking around the backyard, she trotted off in the direction of the pool and pointed to it.

Horatio followed close behind her, repeating her Spanish words and teaching her the English equivalent.

"Have you seen Elena?" Eric ambled out to the patio a half hour later.

"Last time I saw her she was teaching Horatio Spanish."

"Spanish, huh?"

"I think she decided it was time for him to learn."

Eric chuckled at the mental image this brought. "Are they inside?"

"I think they went in a few minutes ago. She taught him everything in the backyard already."

"Cute."

It really had been. Elena held Horatio's hand and dragged him around and around the yard, pointing to things and repeating the words. Calleigh told Horatio he didn't have to keep playing, but he seemed to be enjoying himself.

"It's good practice for both of us." He reasoned. He was teaching her the English, so it was an educational exercise for both of them.

The party wound down as it got later, and most of Eric's family took their leave.

"We've gotta go now, Cal." He didn't just mean for a while or for the evening. He meant that he and the children were going to have to leave forever. Move out.

"I know." She squared her shoulders and gave him a smile she hoped didn't look as shaky as it felt. "Want some help packing?"

"Sure. If you don't mind."

Together they folded and packed all the clothes and gifts the children had been given in the past week.

"Need some boxes or suitcases or something?" Calleigh offered when it became apparent that they were going to need a lot more storage.

"You have boxes?" That would be a huge help, although he wasn't above using garbage bags.

"Sure." She finished folding the pile of Pablo's 'new' clothes, and went off in search of the pile of packing boxes she had stashed away somewhere.

"Found them!" She reappeared a few minutes later with arms full of boxes and packing tape. "Let's just close these up." She deftly opened the boxes and sealed the with tape on the bottoms.

They quickly packed up the children's clothes, toys, and everything else their relatives had bought or donated.

"This is not all going to fit in my car." Eric laughed as they stacked boxes in the driveway.

"Pack some stuff in my car. I'll follow you over." She suggested it even as her throat closed a little at the thought of having to drive away and leave them. They'd be in good hands, of course. Eric was more than capable of caring for them. He'd provide for their every need. Love them. They just wouldn't be with her.

"Are you sure?" He quirked an eyebrow at her in disbelief. "It's pretty far to drive all the way to my house, then…" He trailed off, just in case she didn't plan on coming back home. He wouldn't mind. She was always welcome in his home.

"It's no trouble, Eric." It was a little trouble, but she didn't mind it. Not really.

It was difficult trying to wedge suitcases into the trunk of Calleigh's car, but somehow they managed. Boxes stacked high on the passenger seat of Eric's car, boxes and stuff in the trunk.

"What are you going to tell them?" She asked him quietly as he closed the trunk.

"The truth, I guess." He hadn't planned on this. He hated to think of how this was going to break Elena's heart. She loved Calleigh, trusted her. So did Pablo, but there was something special about Calleigh's connection to the little girl.

"Yeah. That's probably best." But what did she know?

Eric piled the kids in the car and gave Calleigh a sad look. This was the end. The end of his fairy tale. His perfect pretend life. He wondered if he'd ever get it back.

"It's time for bed, little angel." He boosted Elena into the air and smiled as the sound of her laughter filled his house.

"Do you mind if I read her a bedtime story?" Calleigh's voice was timid. Unsure. This wasn't her home. It wasn't her turf. She wasn't certain what her role was now.

"Of course not." He placed Elena on her feet and led them to the master bedroom-turned children's room. He'd sleep on the couch for now. Just until he could buy a new place; a place big enough for all of them.

True to her word, Calleigh read her a story. As she tucked her in, she explained that she wouldn't be there when she got up in the morning. Eric choked up a little when Elena asked her if she was going away to heaven.

"No. No, mi dulce." She kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly. It was hard to explain, and it cut her like a knife.

"You go forever?" No one had realized that Pablo was standing behind Eric listening.

"Honey, I just can't stay with you any more." She beckoned him over to her and wrapped him in a hug as well. "The judge won't let Eric keep you if I do."

"Why?"

Why. One simple question. One word. Three letters. She had no answers. No explanation. No equation or proof. Suddenly the only thing she could come up with to say was, "Because we're not married, honey."

"What?"

Eric sat on the edge of the bed and explained it all. How he and Calleigh weren't married. How he'd have to take care of them by himself from now on. How the judge would take them away if they didn't live here with Calleigh. Elena was confused by all this, and clinging to Calleigh like a lifeline, pleading her not to go. She promised to come back after work the next evening, but that didn't quell the sobbing.

"Lo siento, mi dulce." She whispered again and again. "Lo siento." She rocked her little girl until she fell asleep, then tucked her in lovingly while her own heart broke. "Lo siento." She whispered one last time before she shut the door.

Pablo was sitting in the living room silently, not speaking to Eric. He wasn't sure what to say. Calleigh was there. Now she's not. His mother was there. Now she's not. Who was next?

"I'm sorry, Pablo." She tried to console him.

"No!" He had never lashed out before, and it cut her deeply to see him so upset.

"Pablo, I don't like it, either, but I can't do anything that will make the judge take you away from him."

"What about you?"

"What about me, sweetie?"

"Why can't we stay with you?"

"Eric is family, honey. I'm not."

He calmed a little the longer they talked. Eric finally got him to bed, but not before he made Calleigh promise to come visit often.

"Just try to keep me away."

He put Pablo to bed, and came back to the living room just as Calleigh was getting up to leave.

"You want something to drink?" He offered in a desperate attempt to make her stay.

"I'm driving."

"No. I have soda. Water. Coffee." He laughed at her response. "I can do non-alcoholic."

"Coffee would be nice. Thank you." She didn't mind stalling. She wasn't in a rush to get home, either.

He came back a few minutes later with two steaming mugs. "A little sugar and milk. Sorry, I don't have creamer."

"This is fine. Thank you." She accepted the beverage and inhaled deeply, savoring the scent.

"That was…not fun." He said dryly.

"No. It was not."

"I'm sorry about all this, Calleigh. I can't begin to thank you enough for all this. You've been so…" He didn't know where to go from there. How do you begin to thank a person for doing as much as Calleigh had done for him.

"It's not your fault, Eric." She hated that he was beating himself up about this. "You're doing the best you can for them. I…it'll be okay. They'll be okay."

"I hope so."

"I should go." She'd finished her coffee anyway, and if she stayed much longer, she was liable to embarrass herself and cry or something.

"You're welcome to stay." He blurted out. "I can make more coffee. We can watch a movie or something. You don't have to go if you don't want to. Right now."

"I can't stay, Eric." She cautioned, reminding him of the judge's words.

"I know."

"You take care of them, okay?"

"Calleigh, I…" She was close to him. He could smell her soap. Her perfume. He…before he could think about it too much, he framed her perfect face in his hands and crashed his lips down on hers.

Calleigh was dazed, and it took her a moment to recover from her initial shock. His lips were soft on hers, but insistent. He pulled back after a moment. She hadn't returned the affection, and he feared he'd just single-handedly ruined seven years of friendship. What really surprised him was when Calleigh reached up and pulled his face down to meet hers.

"Calleigh." He groaned into her mouth, pulling her body against his.

"Eric, we can't do this." She breathed heavily. "We work together. Stetler will…"

"Forget about Stetler." He ran the back of his index finger over the arch of her cheek bone. "This is us."

"Eric, there can't be an 'us.'"

"There could be. If you'd let it happen." His mouth was close to her ear.

"Eric." She didn't have any other arguments. "Eric, I can't stay here."

"Not tonight." He bargained. "But another time."

"We'll see."

"Calleigh?"

"Yeah."

"Are we going to talk about this?"

"About what, Eric?"

"Us." He dragged his lips across her forehead tenderly. "Are you going to let there be an 'us'?"

"Eric, I don't think…"

"Stop thinking." He interrupted her. "Stop thinking for once. Just do something."

"I thought I just did." Some of her moxy returned, and looked up at him with a grin.

"It's a start." He teased her. "But are we going to talk about this ever?"

"What about them?"

"Who?"

"The kids. What if it doesn't work out? I can't hurt them like that. Not again." Tonight had been hard on her. She could only imagine what it had been for two small children with no parents.

"What if we do work out?" He turned her argument against her. "I've seen you with them, Cal. You love them. They love you. You know how I feel about you. What more is there?"

"Do I?" She raised her had and met his eyes. "Do I know how you feel?"

"Do you want me to say it?" He called her bluff. "You want me to tell you how I feel?"

She didn't. Not tonight. Not this soon. "No." She deflated a little. "No. Not tonight."

"Calleigh?"

"Yes."

"Is that my answer?"

"Yes."

"Calleigh?"

"Eric, are you going to kiss me again or just stand there and talk?"

"I think I'll kiss you again." He wanted to remember this moment forever. And so did the little boy standing in the hallway watching. He was going to have a family again. He just knew it.

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R/R!!!


	23. Life as Usual

Author's Note: Wow. The reader response has been overwhelming. I'm so excited, and very, very humbled. Thank you very much to everyone who read, and special thanks to everyone who reviews. I'm back in school and this quarter promises to be even worse than last. Sigh. I need a break. A very long break. I hope you are all well. Thanks for reading. R/R

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Eric was concerned about how the following morning would go, what with all the waterworks the night before. His concerns were not entirely unfounded, but he quickly discovered that he needn't worry. There were no tantrums; no tears even. Elena was more clingy than normal, literally attaching herself to his leg and refusing to let go, but she behaved herself for the most part. He couldn't bring himself to chastise her actions, given how crushed she'd been when Calleigh had to leave last night. Instead, he chose to indulge her, and gave her a piggyback ride all morning instead. She seemed to enjoy it, and eventually even laughed a little. Pablo was quieter than normal, and that was what really worried Eric. Silence was a weapon he was well accustomed to, but he was still at a loss as to how to deal with it. Marisol had used it as her weapon of choice, and Calleigh had been known to withdraw into herself as well, although he understood that her silence stemmed from an entirely different place.

Pablo's silence, however, scared him. A few hours ago he'd been a vibrant, happy child. Quick to smile, easy to laugh. He prayed he hadn't already screwed up his cousins so badly they'd never recover. The pressures of parenthood were weighing heavily on his shoulders, and he was beginning to question is ability to complete this task satisfactorily. Still, there were things to be done and silent or not, Pablo had to comply.

"Come on, buddy." Eric urged when Pablo was done with his eggs and fruit. "We have to register you for school today."

Pablo stared at him for a second before begrudgingly pushing away from the table and walking dejectedly to the bedroom.

Elena was still clinging to his neck, happily enjoying her ride, but he had to feed her breakfast.

"Elena," He bargained, holding up a slice of mango. "Are you hungry, sweetie?"

He knew she understood his question, but understood when she responded in Spanish. "Tengo hambre." (I'm hungry.)

"You have to sit at the table to eat." He pointed to the empty chair. "You can sit on my lap, but you have to let go for a few minutes." He heard her sniff, and felt her nod, so he carefully squatted down and waited for her to slide off his back. Once she was standing, he sat on the chair and pulled her onto his lap as promised so she could eat her breakfast. He felt horrible. Traitorous. Downright evil. This poor little girl had been through enough in her short lifetime. The loss of her mother. Leaving her grandfather and her country. Basically being kidnapped by a stranger; a stranger who was kind to her, but a stranger nonetheless. And now Calleigh. He'd have to make sure she came over tonight so Elena would have a little bit of security. Continuity. And Pablo. Poor child. He wasn't sure what thing about Pablo. He'd expected Elena's reaction to Calleigh's departure, but not Pablo's. They were apparently closer than he had anticipated. Maybe Calleigh would be willing to spend some time alone with him. Take him to a park or the beach or something. Just a little time to reassure him that she still loved him. He'd talk to Calleigh about it later.

"All done." Elena turned and smiled at him, and he absently looked down at her angelic little face, all smeared with eggs and fruit and milk.

"Let's get you cleaned up, huh, little angel?" He chuckled. Maybe he should have been paying closer attention to her while she ate. Then again, how else would she learn?

Once the children were both fed and bathed and dressed, they set off for the elementary school. It was time for Pablo to sign up for school.

"How may I help you, sir?" The kind-looking woman smiled at him as he walked in, one hand held by each child.

"Um." He wasn't sure how to word this. "He needs to go to school."

"Is there a reason why he is late today?" She asked, not understanding Eric's real meaning.

"No." He stammered. "I mean, I need to sign him up to go to school."

"Oh. A new student!" She smiled fondly at Pablo. "Do you have his records from his last school?"

"No."

"Okay. Well, you'll need to bring those by as soon as possible."

"That's not actually going to be possible." This was going to be harder than he'd thought. "His last school was in Cuba."

"Cuba!" She exclaimed a bit red-faced. Now she recognized them. She'd seen them all on the television. "Well, that's quite a trip, isn't it?"

Pablo still didn't respond, and she was getting irritated. "If he doesn't speak English, he'll have to-"

"He speaks English." Eric interrupted. "I just want to sign him up. He's in the third grade. How do I do this?"

"Well, we'll have to evaluate his abilities, of course." Her voice was increasingly patronizing. "We can't trust those Cuban schools, now can we?"

"Oh, I don't know." He shot back, irritated. "I imagine he learned far more math and English in his Cuban school than your students do in this American school." He paused before adding. "How much Spanish do your students learn?"

"Well!" She huffed, thoroughly put in her place. "We'll see about that." She shuffled around on her desk and handed Eric a clipboard and a stack of papers. "Fill these out, and then you'll have to speak to the principal."

"Thank you." He faked gratitude, took the papers and sat down.

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"How do you do, Mr. Delko?" Principal Dennis shook Eric's hand as he entered the office.

"Very well. Thank you." So far so good. "This is Pablo, and this is Elena." He pointed toward each child in succession.

"Well, how are you, Pablo?" The principal shook Pablo's hand, and then moved on to Elena. True to form, Elena clung to Eric and buried her face in his leg. "A little shy, are we?" He smiled softly at the scared little girl.

"Just until she gets to know you." Eric pried her arms off his leg and took the offered chair. He wasn't at all surprised when Elena climbed into his lap, but still, her actions worried him.

"Okay." The principal seemed satisfied with Eric's response, or else he chose to ignore it. Either way, her reviewed the paperwork quietly for a few minutes and looked up with a warm smile. "Everything seems to be in order here."

"I'm sorry; I don't have his school records." Eric tried to explain, but Mr. Dennis held up a hand.

"Don't worry about that." He calmed Eric's nerves. "Many students come here without records."

"He's legal." Eric protested. "You've seen the news. He's allowed to be here."

"I know that." Mr. Dennis knew all this already. "I apologize. That's not what I meant. I just mean that not all of our students have school records from their previous schools. It's not an issue. We have a placement exam that will take care of that."

"Oh, he's in the third grade." Eric insisted. "I can vouch for that."

"Well, with the language difficulties, we'll probably at minimum place him in the second grade."

"He's in third grade." Eric persisted. "Third. Not second."

"I understand, Mr. Delko, but as English is his second language, he'll probably need to be placed back at least one year."

"Pablo is in the third grade." Eric stated firmly, noting the little boy's hint of a smile out of his peripheral vision.

"We'll see about that."

"Is there a reason why everyone at this school insists on saying that?" Eric was not at all certain he liked this school.

"I apologize." Mr. Dennis smiled again, but Eric knew it wasn't genuine. "Why don't we set up that placement exam?"

"Sure. Now, Pablo, you have to take a test..." He started to explain to Pablo, but he was interrupted.

"I understand." Pablo nodded affirmatively. "I take a test. Then I go to third grade."

"That's right." He couldn't have been prouder of Pablo at this moment. It was a perfect way to show up that cocky principal. He knew Pablo would blow that exam out of the water.

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A few hours later, Eric, Elena, and Pablo sat once more in the principal's office waiting rather impatiently for someone to say something. Mr. Dennis was frowning a little as he looked over the scantron results.

"Mr. Delko," The principal cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Pablo scored very well on the placement exam."

"I knew he would." Eric stated proudly, smiling at the little boy.

"Still," Mr. Dennis persisted. "I think the second grade is a better choice for Pablo."

"Third grade." Eric stated flatly. "He's in the third grade."

William Dennis had been principal long enough to know that this was a game that he would lose. At the worst, he'd just let Pablo fail the third grade and repeat it again next year.

"Fine." He shrugged. "Third grade. When will he start?"

"When can he start?"

"Is tomorrow good for you?"

"That will be fine."

"Can I get a list of school supplies he'll need?"

"Of course." The principal smiled a little. He was starting to get a feeling that this was going to be one very involved father. "Mrs. Facelo at the front desk can give you that list. Here," He reached across the table and handed Eric a few sheets of paper. "Is his homeroom teacher, the school's policies. Just some stuff to read."

"Thank you."

"Thank you." They all stood to leave. "I guess we'll be seeing you tomorrow, young man." He held out his hand to Pablo. "Welcome to Sunrise Elementary. We're happy to have you here at our school."

"Thank you, Mr. Dennis." Pablo stood up tall and shook the man's hand.

"_That's my boy." _Eric thought to himself._ "That's my boy."_

_____________________________________________________________________

Calleigh's phone lit up and vibrated on the counter. She had her head down at the microscope, but she saw the light out of the corner of her eye. When she was finished with her examination, she put away the evidence and grabbed her phone. It was a text from Eric.

"Dinner at my place?"

"What time?" She texted back.

"Whenever you get off." The message came back quickly.

"How are they?"

"Pablo's quiet, and Elena's clingy."

She frowned at the description. Pablo was a talkative boy normally. Perhaps she'd been wrong to take them in at all. Had she done more damage than good here?

"I'll be over ASAP."

"See you soon."

"How did the test go?"

"He rocked it."

"I knew he would."

"Later."

"Bye."

Calleigh smiled as she put her phone down. Of course Pablo aced the placement exam. She had a feeling about him, and she was rarely wrong. That was a conversation to be had in person, though. She'd bring it up with Eric later that evening.

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"Pablo, can you answer the door for me?" He already knew who it was, and he was busy stirring a pot of spaghetti sauce.

"Okay." He hesitantly walked to the door, unlocked the deadbolt, and opened it up a smidge. "Calleigh!" He cried happily, still surprised to see her even though she'd promised him she'd come. He wrapped his arms around her middle and held on tight as Elena came running for her hug, too.

"Me!" She hopped up and down trying to get close to Calleigh. "Me now."

"Come here, darlin'." Calleigh drawled, not noticing the way Eric was leaning against the door jamb watching her. She looked good all covered in children and smiles. He wasn't quite sure what kind of greeting he should give her. They weren't exactly dating. They weren't exactly not dating. He'd kissed her the night before, and she had reciprocated. Still, it was awkward.

"Hey, you." She smiled at him as she straightened, taking a very determined little girl up with her.

"How was work?"

"It was…work. How was your day?"

"I go to third grade tomorrow." Pablo announced proudly, displaying more emotion than he had all day long. "In American school."

"I know, honey." She tried to hug him again, but Elena was currently occupying both of her arms. "I'm so proud of you."

"Pablo," Eric started gently. "We're going to have to work really hard on your English now."

"I know." His smile never faltered. It was good to see him this happy again. "I work hard."

"I will work hard." Eric corrected softly.

"I will work hard." Pablo repeated the phrase with a scowl of concentration as he tried to memorize the word placement so he could remember it later. "I will work hard."

"I know you will." Eric patted his back affectionately. "It looks like you have a permanent visitor there." He made his way over to Calleigh to give her…some kind of greeting. He wasn't sure what.

"I don't mind." She squeezed the little girl on her lap a little, smiling contentedly as Elena played with her long, blonde hair.

Eric stood for a moment, uncertain of which boundaries he could cross before Calleigh flashed him an understanding smile.

"Do I get a kiss?" She solved his mental dilemma for him, and he thanked her for it silently.

"You know you do." He bent down and kissed her softly on the lips, whispering in her hear before he stood up. "I missed you today."

"Me, too." She'd thought about it a lot at work, and she'd decided that it was probably healthy for the kids to see them together. It might settle their minds, put them at ease a little about her place in their lives. Reassure them that she wasn't going anywhere. Then she just prayed like hell that she wasn't going anywhere. Still, the image was not altogether unpleasant to her. The four of them, together. Eric kissing her hello, hugs from the kids. Kind of domestic and normal. Like a family. It was…nice.

"Hey!" She called as he disappeared back into the kitchen.

"Yeah?" He poked his head back out with a wide smile.

"How'd it go at the doctor today?"

"Stitches are out." He walked back over to the sofa and took Elena in his arms. "And she is healing nicely. The doctor was very pleased."

"Did they do a test?" She tickled Elena, loving the way her laugh rang out in the living room. "EKG? Anything?"

"He listened to her heartbeat. No murmur." Eric was thrilled. Relieved. "Then they did an EKG. Normal sinus rhythm. Nothing abnormal."

"So she's fine?" Elena was sitting happily on Eric's lap, loving having the undivided attention of her two favorite grownups.

"She's perfect." He carressed his little girl's cheek and smoothed down her hair, made wild from a hard day of playing.

"That she is."

"We've gotta go out and buy a bunch of school supplies tonight for Pablo. Wanna come?"

"I'd like that."

Eric leaned over and kissed her chastely. "Dinner? I made spaghetti."

"You know me too well."

"It's done. I just have to set the table."

"I can help you with that."

Eric sat Elena on her feet and watched as she ran off to find Pablo and play. "You don't have to do anything, Calleigh. You've done so much for us already."

"Hey." She grabbed his hand and pulled herself up. "I don't mind pitching in."

"Calleigh, I made this for you." Pablo shyly presented her with a piece of paper.

"What's this, sweetie?" She sat on a nearby chair and turned it over, heart breaking when she saw what he'd drawn. There were four people in the picture. A tall, dark man. A short, pale woman. And two children. A boy and a girl. A family. "Honey, it's beautiful. I love it. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Can I keep it?" She reached out and caressed his cheek with her hand. "Would you mind if I put this on my refrigerator?"

His smile was all the answer she needed.

"Dinner's ready." Eric sat a bowl of spaghetti noodles on the table next to the sauce and salad.

"Smells good."

"It's from a jar." He shrugged. Cooking was not his specialty, but he could do salad and pasta. It was almost a well-balanced meal. "Elena. Dinner. Go wash your hands."

Pablo scurried off to the bathroom to wash up and help his little sister.

Calleigh grabbed a carton of milk and poured two glasses full for the kids. "Need anything else?"

"What else should I feed them?" He looked at the table. Vegetables. Pasta. Sauce. Milk. "Calleigh, I'm not sure I can do this."

"Eat dinner?" She was stalling. She knew what he meant. She knew what he was really worried about.

"Calleigh."

"I know." Before she could finish, the kids bounded back into the dining area. "We'll talk later." She promised as she took her seat at the table between Elena and Pablo.

Dinner was messy, if uneventful. Eric hadn't quite thought through how smart it was to feed a four year old spaghetti. Elena ended up with sauce on her face, on her hands, her shirt.

"This is never going to come out." Eric moaned as he carried the little green shirt to the laundry room.

"I can get that out." She took the shirt from him and looked at it closely. "Don't worry about it."

"You can?"

"No sweat. I'll take care of it tonight." She carefully folded the small garment and placed it in her purse. "But now, we need to go shopping, right kiddo?"

"Right." Pablo piped up, excited at the prospect of going back to school. He loved school. There were so many things to learn. So many things to know.

________________________________________________________________

"I can't believe kids need all this stuff just for school." Calleigh moaned as she looked at the stuff in the shopping cart. "What else does he need?"

"Backpack."

"Oh, lunch box."

"Yeah."

"Pencils." She read off the list. "Eraser. Colored pencils. Glue. Safety scissors."

"Good lord."

________________________________________________________________

Later that evening, after the kids were in bed, Pablo's lunch was packed, his clothes were set out and ready for the morning, Calleigh and Eric were settled on the sofa together.

"You're worried about all this, huh?" She wove her fingers through his and looked at the way their hands fit together.

Eric knew he could count on Calleigh to not forget that he was worried about all this.

"Yeah." He hung his head and brought her hand to his lips. "I just…Pablo was so upset this morning. And Elena was afraid to let go of me. I'm screwing them up already, Cal. I'm not cut out for this. What was I thinking?"

Calleigh heart went out to him. He was trying so hard, and he was so worried that he wouldn't succeed. "Eric, you've been doing this on your own for one day. Give it time. You'll figure it all out."

"I just…" He hung his head and winced at the movement.

"You okay?" She asked, eyes filled with concern.

"I'm fine."

"You're in pain." She observed. "Physical pain."

She could always do that. She could just look at him and know when he was lying. What he was feeling. "It's just a little headache."

"You have a headache." She repeated flatly, and Eric didn't miss the brief flash of terror in her green eyes.

"It's just stress, Calleigh." He tried to reassure her. "Don't worry."

"Stress?"

"I'm just a little tense."

"I can fix that." She popped up off the sofa and made a beeline for the kitchen. "Stay there."

He heard her rummaging in his cabinets, his refrigerator. She returned a few moments later

"Take these." She handed him two Motrin and a glass of water, reaching out for the glass when he was done. "I'll be back in a jiff."

"Calleigh, what are you doing?"

"You don't have any tea, so this will have to do." She handed him a freshly opened beer with a gentle smile. "Now move." She pointed to the floor. "Sit there."

"Sit on the floor?"

"That or I have to sit on the back of the couch."

"What do you have in mind?" He eyed her suspiciously.

"Just sit." She huffed in mock frustration, moving to sit behind him on the sofa after he complied. "You are tense." She noted, kneading the taut muscles in his neck and shoulders. "Try to relax."

"Easier said than done." He grumbled.

"I know all about that." She spoke softly into his ear. "Just…think of something calming."

"Yeah." He closed his eyes and sipped on his beer while Calleigh's nimble fingers loosened the knots in his shoulders. "You know," He joked with her, only half kidding. "If this whole cop thing doesn't work out for you, you could have a promising career as my personal masseuse."

"Isn't that term just a fancy way to say prostitute?" She smiled, not entirely objecting to the idea, but not about to tell him that.

"There are schools and everything." He protested, twisting around to look at her.

"I think the term then, is massage therapist." She pressed her hand against his cheek and urged him to turn back away from her. "And I'll let you know. It's always good to have a fall-back career in place."

He smiled, but didn't respond. He was too busy trying to absorb the evening. He had it again. That magical, perfect life. Family. Calleigh came home from work this time, but the rest was the same. And the evening ended far better than the last one had. No trips to the emergency room this time. No rushed heart surgeries. Indeed, no incidents at all. The kids went to bed easily this time, even Elena. She made Calleigh promise to come back and visit after work the next day, but that was all the fuss there was. Dinner was good. They'd laughed and talked and smiled. Just like a real family. Now he was here in the living room with Calleigh. Drinking a beer. Just talking and enjoying each other's company. He felt real for the first time in years.

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R/R


	24. Good Behavior

Author's Note: This is way shorter than I like to post, but I thought you might like it. School is going to kill me starting next week. Two tests per week minimum until summer starting Monday. I already need a vacation. I'll update when I can, but I'm trying to prepare for next week like it's my job. Well, actually, I suppose it IS my job, so...Anyway. Thanks for reading and reviewing the last chapters. I don't own anything. I'm borrowing the characters for fun. Please don't sue me. I'm a poor college student. I think that just about covers it. Oh, and review! Please?

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"Why are you worried about this all of a sudden?" Calleigh spoke softly as darkness descended up on them.

"I don't know." He murmured. "I just…This morning…You should have seen Pablo's face."

"I know it's hard." She consoled him. "It wasn't easy for me to leave them last night, either."

"I know." He hadn't meant to upset Calleigh as well. "What was I thinking, Cal?"

"About what?"

"What was I thinking when I volunteered to do this? I can't raise two children." It had all seemed so simple a few days ago. So black and white. There mother wanted him to take care of them. So he would. Perhaps she hadn't meant forever, though. Maybe she just wanted him to make sure someone capable took them in. Was he capable? Was he crazy?

"Of course you can."

"What makes you so sure?" He glanced around at what was left of his life as he knew it. He wasn't who he thought he was, and that didn't even begin to make sense to him. His family isn'treally his family. His father isn't his father. His sisters...damn. Marisol. She took that secret to the grave with her, and darn it if he wasn't just a little bit angry with her for it. Of course then that pesky guilt complex came tripping back into his brain calling him all manner of terrible things for thinking ill of the dead. His life was so screwed up.

"I know you." She stated simply. "You'll do this. And you'll do it well."

"I need help, Calleigh." There wasn't a part of him that minded admitting that to her. It was Calleigh.

"That's what I'm here for." She rubbed her hand over his scalp in a comforting gesture. "And your mom; she's willing to help out, right?"

"Yeah. Do you know what I just realized?"

"Tell me."

"Tomorrow morning I have to feed them, dress them, drop Pablo off at school, and drop Elena off at my mom's before I go to work." There is no way all of that is going to be accomplished. No way. No wonder people hire nannies. If only he could afford one.

Calleigh sat quietly for a moment before she responded. "What can I do to help?"

"Seriously?"

"Eric, seriously." She slapped the side of his head jokingly. "I wouldn't offer if I didn't mean it."

"Calleigh, I just…" He hated this. He hated that he couldn't do it on his own. He'd told the judge he could handle this. "I can't have you bailing me out all the time with this."

"Why don't I take Elena to your mom's?"

It would make his life so much easier. If only... "You mean it?" Aw, hell. If she really meant it, why not?

"I mean it."

"Calleigh…" He paused, scooted over a few inches, and swiftly turned, grabbing her and pulling her into his lap. "Thank you."

She was stunned for a moment; the proximity seemingly stealing her tongue. She was wrapped in Eric's strong arms, her shoulder pressed against his chest, and sitting between his legs.

"Eric."

"Shhh." He silenced her with a loving kiss, drawing her even closer to him. "Do you want to stay?" He pressed his forehead against hers. He wanted her to stay.

"I don't think I should." She cautioned.

"I've been thinking." He kissed her a few more times. "The judge didn't say you can't be with us. He just said we have to be here while you're doing it."

She had to admit, he had a point. Then again, so did she. "Where would I sleep?" The bed was currently occupied by small children, and the couch does not fold out.

"I'll take the floor." He offered. "You can have the couch. It's pretty comfortable." It was almost as comfortable as hers. It was longer, at least. His feet didn't hang off the edge, but that wouldn't really be an issue for her.

"I really don't think this is a good idea."

"It's late." He nodded toward the clock. "I don't want you driving home at this hour."

As sweet as it was, she had to laugh. "Eric, it's not even ten o'clock."

"It will be before I let you go." He teased as he nipped at her throat.

"I didn't realize you were planning on holding me hostage." She laughed, but Eric immediately stiffened and loosened his grip on her. "Eric, it's fine."

"I just didn't mean to…you know…remind you of…"

"Eric, you didn't. I'm fine. We're fine."

"So there is a "we"?" They still hadn't actually talked about anything yet.

"It definitely looks like it."

"Calleigh, you've got to give me more than that."

"There's a "we," Eric. There's a "we.""

"I'm glad." He cupped the back of her head and kissed her soundly.

"Mmmm. Yeah. Me, too." She finally drew back long enough to speak.

"So you're staying?"

"Eric!"

"I'll take that as a 'yes.'"

She just smirked at him, seeing as though she couldn't actually think of an adequate response. It was a yes, afterall.

"Are you tired?" She looked tired, but then again, she always did, at least recently. Not to the casual observer, but he knew the signs. Her shoulder slumped just a hair, her smile was a nanosecond too long coming, and the tell-tale sign was the number of deep breaths she took in a minute. Eric figured that he was the only person on earth who had bothered to figured it out, but when Calleigh was tired, she took on average five very deep breaths per minute. It was almost as if she was unconsciously trying to over-oxygenate her blood in an effort to combat exhaustion. He knew she hadn't gotten much sleep recently. Elena's ordeal had kept her up late for days in a row. She probably hadn't gotten much rest last night, shaken after the children's outburst at her departure. Tonight he wanted her to sleep.

"I'm fine, Eric."

"Calleigh, can I make a deal with you?"

"What do you need?"

"I need for you to be honest with me." He gently drew her head against his shoulder so she'd know he wasn't upset with her, and stroked her hair. "Calleigh, I just need for you to tell me the truth. The truth about what you need. How you're feeling. I need in."

"Eric, I…" He was right. She knew he was, and yet she hated it. It wasn't the fact that he wanted in, it was the fear of letting someone in. Anyone. To let someone get that close to you meant you risk really being hurt by them when they leave. "Yeah." Perhaps it would be worth it to take that risk. This risk. With Eric.

"Deal?" He kissed her forehead and tightened his arms around her as she nodded, unable to formulate the words out loud. "I mean, it goes both ways of course. I will, too."

"You always do." She said quietly, almost ashamed of her own shortcomings.

"Calleigh." He hadn't meant to upset her. "I just meant that I'm not asking you to do something that I'm not willing to do myself. It's a relationship, you know. Two way street."

"I know." She tilted her head up and drew a line of kisses across his jaw. She'd thought it would be uncomfortable. Awkward. This new relationship with Eric. They'd known each other for so long; been good friends for years. And it had been so simple to transition into this…whatever it was. Relationship? God, she felt like a teenager trying to define and label them.

"So," He tried again. "Are you tired?"

"A little." She admitted, cringing at the way the admission sounded to her ears. "But I don't want to sleep yet." She was enjoying this moment too much to move.

"All right." He considered their options for the remainder of the evening. "We could watch a movie. TV. Um. I have music." Those were just about all the options at the moment. His house wasn't really set up for entertaining at the moment. He'd barely had time to get the bare essentials in with the kids. They wouldn't have even had breakfast that morning if Calleigh hadn't had the forethought to send a cooler and a few bags of food. The milk in his fridge was from her. So were the eggs, fruit, bread, cheese, and nearly all the vegetables. He had squeezed in a quick grocery trip after Elena's doctor's appointment, but he knew that it would not be sufficient for long.

"Could we just stay here? Like this?" She hated to sound that needy, but it had been a long time since she'd felt t his safe and warm. And loved. The human contact was slowly relieving a lot of the tension that had been keeping her up as of late. God, she needed this.

"Of course." He kissed her softly and leaned back against the sofa. "We can do whatever you want." She had no idea how much he meant those words, and he knew it, but he was going to spend every moment of his life trying to show her. Truthfully, he was in heaven. He'd dreamt of this day. Fantasized about what it would be like to hold Calleigh Duquesne in his arms. Kiss her. The real thing was better than anything his brain had ever conjured up, though. She smelled like spring, and she was tracing absent patterns on his knee with her index finger. It was driving him wild. Calleigh's mind was somewhere else entirely. While Eric was in the moment, she was thinking hard about the two of them, and a possible future, potential pitfalls, hurdles, obstacles. They could do it, she hoped. The two of them together. Well, the four of them now. Wow. Four of them.

As much as Eric loved sitting here with Calleigh like this, he felt the need to kiss her. Soundly and squarely. So he did. Carefully pushing her down to the floor, he carefully cushioned her head and made straight away for her lips.

"Eric." She pushed him away a bit as he settled himself half on top of her.

"Shh." He kissed the tip of her nose. "I know." Another kiss; this one to her chin. "I'm not going to try anything. I know we're not there yet." A kiss to her forehead. "I just want to make out with this beautiful woman here in my arms."

"Oh, do you now?" She lifted her head up and met his lips eagerly.

"I do." He nipped along her jaw line making her smile. "I can behave myself, you know?"

"Well, if you play your cards right, I might even let you cop a feel." She suddenly felt powerful and flirty. It was probably that smirk of his, she mused. Or those eyes.

"Well then, I'll definitely behave myself." He murmured against her neck, eyes lighting up and pulse quickening at the mere mention.

He surprised her when he raised his head and spoke in a low, solemn voice. "Besides, when I make love to you it's not going to be like this."

"Oh, really?" She quirked an eyebrow at him, not quite understanding where he was going with this line of thinking.

"Really." He dropped three quick kisses to her lips and caressed her cheek with featherlight fingers. "It's going to be somewhere nice. Somewhere special. Not the floor in my living room between the couch and the coffee table. You deserve better than this, and I'm going to make sure you get it. When you're ready. When we're ready."

Her heart melted with his thoughtful words. Why had she ever expected less from him? Of course he was going to treat her right. Of course he wasn't going to try to jump her bones the first second they were alone. He was going to be a gentleman. She figured he was planning on wining and dining her thoroughly. Flowers. Chocolates. The whole nine yards. He already got her favorite truffles. Message received. To be truthful, the message was received long before the truffles…it was just a little garbled before. She knows how he feels about her; or at least she does now. Why did she ever think he was the kind of guy who was going to just…no. That isn't Eric. Not the Eric she knows now. Not the man who is trying to adopt two small children. Not the man who wants to settle down with her and raise a family.

"You're so beautiful." He breathed as he watched her expressive green eyes soften.

She smiled at him and kissed him softly. "You're not so bad yourself."

"Oh, yeah?" He smirked at her a little.

"Yeah." She met his eyes and held his gaze for a moment. "Actually, you're pretty darn handsome, if I do say so myself." Well that was putting it mildly, but she was a well-mannered southern belle, and darn it all if she was going to lay all her cards out on the table at once. Her mama raised her better than that.

He groaned inwardly at her voice. Her accent had thickened in the last five minutes, and he was actually finding the blood all rushing south. If she kept talking, he'd pass out from hypoxia. That was all fine with him, though. He knew plenty of well-behaved ways to silence her, and he wasn't hearing any complaints. Okay, maybe they were only moderately well-behaved ways. Still…

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A/N: So...now review...


	25. Fountain and Youth

Author's Note: School's hectic, but I'm managing. Don't sue me. Enjoy the story. Read and review. That should cover it.

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"Elena, baby, you've got to get up now." Eric smiled down at her as she slept. "Calleigh's going to take you to Tia Clorinda's for the day."

"No."

Calleigh smiled at Elena's refusal to wake up, laughing softly as the girl's little hand batted away Eric's attempts to rouse her.

"Elena." Eric called again, amused at her sleepy antics. She finally opened her eyes and grinned at him. "Okay. Up you go!" He lifted her into the air. "Time for your bath."

"I'll take care of that." Calleigh walked toward the bathroom. "You make breakfast and finish getting ready."

"I can't thank you enough for this, Calleigh."

"It's not big deal, Eric."

"No, you see. It IS a big deal."

"We'll talk about it later." She grabbed some clothes for Elena and followed the little girl into the bathroom.

She quickly bathed the little girl, pausing to dress the still-healing scar. It pained her to see this mark on the tiny child, even though logically, she knew it was necessary to save her life. Making a mental note to purchase more antibacterial cream and scar fade crème, she got her dressed, and fed her a quick breakfast. Eric assured her that no matter how much they fed her, his mother would make her a proper Cuban breakfast anyway, so she needn't worry. He packed the half asleep little girl into Calleigh's car with a hug and a kiss, and turned to Calleigh.

"I can't begin to thank you for this."

"I'll see you at work."

"Yeah."

"Bye, Pablo." She turned and hugged him tightly. "Good luck today at school."

"Bye, Calleigh." He bravely smiled at her, but she knew he was worried anyway.

"Don't worry, sweetie." She cupped his face between her hands. "Everything will be just fine."

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"Now, Pablo, you remember what we talked about?" Eric knelt down in front of Pablo and handed him his lunch box. "First day of school. It's English-only time in here."

"I know."

"And listen to your teacher." That paternal gene was rearing its head, and he was just letting it run. He had always envisioned himself with a family, just because this wasn't quite the way he'd figured it would happen didn't make it any less special. His little boy was heading off to his first day of American school and he was almost as nervous as Pablo. He'd stayed up half the night tossing and turning. Worrying, what if the other kids are mean? What if the children tease him because his English isn't perfect yet? What if the teacher is harsh? Finally, Calleigh had rolled off the couch to lay beside him. They'd talked for a minute before he finally fell asleep, comforted by her presence like it was the one thing missing from his world. Then again, it really had been, hadn't it?

"I will."

"Do you have the phone numbers I gave you?" He'd written down every contact he could think of so if something happened, someone could get in touch with him.

"Yes."

"Okay." Eric took a deep breath and smoothed out Pablo's shirt. "Do you have any questions for me?"

"How long is school?" He hadn't felt anxious until just now, but he really wanted to bolt right now. "Can I go with you?" His voice was small and scared.

"No, sweetie." Eric hugged the little boy tightly. "You'll be fine. Work hard. Listen to your teacher. Be nice to the other kids, and Tia Clorinda will be here after school to pick you up, okay?"

"Elena will be there?"

"Of course." He tugged on the straps to Pablo's backpack; all filled up with folders and pencils. Ready for learning. "And I will come get you both after I get off work."

"And Calleigh?" His eyes lip up with anticipation.

"And Calleigh." Pablo was quiet, but he looked happier. Less nervous. "You ready, buddy?" He smoothed out the front of Pablo's uniform shirt that Calleigh had lovingly ironed early that morning before she left.

"Okay."

"That's my boy." Eric rose and took his hand. "Let's do this. First day. You're going to be great." Together they walked into the school.

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"How is she?" Eric sought out Calleigh as soon as he got to work, miraculously only 20 minutes late.

"Elena?" She smiled. "She's fine. Got a little nap in while I got ready at home. She was super happy to see her Tía, too."

"I'll bet." He scoffed. "She's gonna be spoiled rotten by the end of the month."

"How'd Pablo handle being dropped off at school all by himself?"

"A little scared." He admitted, but then again, he had been as well. "I hope it all goes well today."

"Don't worry." She squeezed his forearm comfortingly. "They're both going to be fine. Elena will have fun with your mom, Pablo will make new friends, and you're doing a great job with them. Relax."

He gave her a lopsided smile as thanks, but spotted Horatio rounding the corner.

"H!" He pulled his arm away from Calleigh, looking for all the world like a guilty school boy.

"Good to have you back, Eric." Horatio shook his younger employee's hand. "How are the children?"

"Elena's been asking for you." Horatio chuckled at this. "You made quite an impression on her."

"Well, she's and adorable little girl. I enjoyed her company as well."

"I'm sorry I was late, H." Eric tried to explain. "It won't happen again. It was Pablo's first day of school, and…"

"Eric, we're all here for you. Don't worry about it."

"H, I…thank you."

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"We have a new student today, class." Mrs. Mgabe's lyrical voice addressed her pupils. "Class, meet Pablo Palacio. He comes to us all the way from Cuba!" The third graders greeted Pablo limply, but the ever-cheerful Mrs. Mgabe was not to be deterred. "To celebrate our new student, we're going to do a project."

This announcement was met with resounding groans from the children and a worried, panicked look from Pablo. He did not want to be the cause of more work for the other kids.

"You are all going to research the country where your family is from, and we are going to have a cultural night with food and music and all your parents are going to be invited."

The prospect of food enlivened the children a bit, eyes lit up and a few smiles were thrown her way. "Okay. Your homework for tonight is to go home and talk to your parents. Ask them about your ancestors, where they came from. Come in tomorrow with your country on a piece of paper."

"Okay!" She looked around approvingly as her children scribbled their assignment in their agendas. "Pablo, your desk will be right over here. You can put your jacket and lunch box in this locker. We'll get you a name tag for it by the end of the day, okay?"

"Thank you." He smiled shyly at her, terrified of making a mistake in his English and making a fool of himself.

"Hi." A whispered voice introduced himself. "I'm Willy."

"Hi." Pablo whispered back, frantically looking at the teacher to see if he was going to get into trouble for talking in class.

"Okay, class. It's time for reading."

Pablo could have sworn his stomach jumped straight into his throat.

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"I officially hate this day." Eric groaned to Calleigh as they sifted through evidence. "I hate people. I hate this job."

"No, you don't." Calleigh calmed him. "This case just sucks, that's all."

"Do you believe this?" He gestured to the mess in the room. "Do you believe people can be like this?"

She'd seen far worse, but it was understandable why it was hitting Eric so hard now. Someone's precious little girl had been abducted from her home, and tragically, they hadn't found her in time. He felt like crying. How can someone just steal a child from their house? Aren't you supposed to be safe in your own home?

"I know." She reassured him. "I know." She was just as shaken as he was, but she had years of experience at masking her emotions.

"I just..." He paused, sucked in a sharp breath, and closed his eyes briefly.

"You want to go home and hug your kids and never let go of 'em." She put it into words for him, knowing how this was slicing close to the bone for him now. He had always been sensitive to cases involving children, but it was so much more real now. Now that he had two children at home.

"I don't think I'm ever letting them out of my sight again." She could tell he was close to tears now. "I mean, she only turned around for a second. A second, Calleigh!"

"I know." This wasn't working. Her detached professionalism was going to have to fly out the window, so she snapped off her gloves and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest and breathing him in. "Eric, you can't let it get to you like this."

"She's Pablo's age." He murmured, fingers stroking tenderly through her hair. "And…"

"We'll get him." She promised, even though she was much less than certain herself. "We'll get him, and we'll put him away, and he'll never be able to do this to another child again."

"Somehow, I think that will be little consolation to the Carlson's down there."

"Probably not." She admitted. "But maybe you'll sleep a little better at night."

"We should get back to work." His voice was strangled and he willed himself to not cry.

"In a minute." She tightened her arms around him, not ready or willing to release him yet. She needed this, too. Pictures of Pablo and Elena were playing on repeat through her mind while she processed this scene as well.

"You okay?" He hadn't yet taken the time to think that she might be just as affected by this kidnapping as he is. She was as close to the children as he was, and he felt selfish for not stopping to think of her needs as well.

"I will be." She admitted. After another minute she pushed away from him, looking around guiltily, grateful no one else was around to witness their exchange. "Let's get this done!"

"Yeah."

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"Hi, Dad." He haltingly greeted the man who raised him, surprised when Pavel insisted on a hug instead. "Oh. Hi." He returned the hug a little awkwardly, but appreciated it anyway.

"Eric!"

"Pablo!" Eric hugged his little boy tightly, lifting him off his feet and pressing kisses to his cheek. "How was your first day of school?"

"Okay."

Nonplussed by his response, he set him on his feet and moved to the sofa. "Tell me about your day."

"I have to do a project." Pablo's eyes lit up a little at that. "On Cuba."

"Cuba? Really?"

"Everyone does."

"The whole class is learning about Cuba?" Eric was pleasantly surprised at this. He had certainly never studied his own heritage in school.

"No. We do a project on our country."

It took Eric a second to process the words and decipher what he really meant. "Oh, all the students have to research the country of their own ancestors?" Pablo just nodded. "Okay, that shouldn't be too hard." His mother was a wealth of information, and would no doubt be excited to help. "What do you need to do?"

"I don't know." Pablo shrugged. "Teacher says we have food and music. Parents can come." He hung his head as he whispered the last part, and Eric finally realized why he was so upset.

"Pablo, honey." He hugged him with one arm. "This must be so hard for you, and I'm so sorry about that." His poor little boy was hurting, and he hated it. "Pablo, I know I'm not your parent, but would it be okay if I come?"

"You will come?" He sounded a little excited at this, much to Eric's glee.

"I wouldn't miss it for anything. Just tell me when, and I'll talk to my boss. I'll take the time off early to make sure I don't miss it."

"Eric?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Do you think Calleigh would come, too?" He remembered what he'd seen a few nights before as Eric bade Calleigh goodnight.

"Why don't you ask her tonight?" He had an inkling that Calleigh would be touched to be included in this, and he knew without a doubt that she would agree.

"Okay!"

"Now," He patted Pablo's knee. "Where is Elena?"

"Outside with Tía Clorinda." He pointed to the backyard.

"I'm going to go say "hello," okay?"

"Okay."

He was still worried and tense from the case, and taking his children home and spending the evening with them was no doubt the antidote for that.

"Elena!" Clorinda called out to her niece as she played in the sandbox. "Look who's here!"

"Hi!" She dropped her shovel and bucket and ran to greet her cousin.

"Oh, hi!" He lifted her straight into the air and twirled her around. "How are you, my baby girl?"

She gave him a puzzled look, and he frowned, switched to Spanish, and continued talking to her. Elena, it seems, had a wonderful day. She had the undivided attention of her Tíos, and she loved every minute of it.

"Mami?" He asked after brushing the sand and grass off of Elena and sending her inside to wash her hands. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Sí." She hugged her baby boy now, tightening her arms around her son. She was so thankful for the changes in her son, his newfound happiness. His new family. "Whatever you need."

"Will you speak English only to Elena when she's here during the day?"

"Eric!" She released him and held him at arm's length. "Spanish has always been spoken in this home."

"Ma, she needs to learn English before she starts school in the fall. I need her to start learning it."

"I can't teach her English, Eric. You know that."

He did, and he distinctly remembered starting school with only Spanish and Russian under his belt. The first few weeks had really been sink or swim, but his parent's had meant well. "She won't have an accent, Ma. I promise." Clorinda and Pavel had always been concerned that if their children learned English from them they would speak it with an accent forever. "And what is the worst thing that would happen even if she does have an accent?" He thought of Calleigh's voice and smiled softly. He was certainly not averse to a woman with an accent. He thought it was sexy, but that was an adjective that he didn't' want associated with his little girl for at least forty or fifty years.

"Eric,"

"Mami, please. Speak English with her."

"Of course." She'd do anything for her children, and if he needed this, she would be more than willing to help.

"Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome." She took her son's hand and led him inside. "So, how is Calleigh?"

"Calleigh's fine, Ma." He rolled his eyes, knowing from experience what was to come.

"And when is she going to see the children next?" She suspected she new the answer, but wanted to hear it aloud nonetheless.

"Calleigh's coming over tonight. We're having dinner with the kids. She's going to help watch Elena while I help Pablo with his homework."

"Good. Good." She left it at that, but Eric knew that sneaky smile. "Ma, don't get any ideas."

"I'm not doing anything!" She rebuffed. "I'm just glad you have a friend like her."

"Me, too." He said quietly, dozens of thoughts filling his brain. "Me, too."

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"Just sound it out." Eric encouraged a frustrated Pablo. "You can do it."

Pablo signed and grimaced, but buckled down and tried again. "Ca-ta-strofe." He wrinkled his nose and looked at Eric. "I don't know it."

"Close, very close." Poor kid. What an assignment on his first day of school. "You actually have to pronounce this "e" on the end. This word is a little different. Try it again."

"Ca-ta-strophe."

"Catastrophe. That's right! Good job!" He praised his frustrated little boy. "Catastrophe."

"What means this?"

"Let's look it up." He grabbed the dictionary that Calleigh had magically produced when she arrived that evening.

"Dinner's ready." Calleigh appeared in the living room with Elena in tow.

"Go wash up." He urged. "We'll finish this after."

"Elena helped." Calleigh looked down at the little girl with a smile Eric could only categorize as innately maternal.

"You helped?" Eric tickled her belly a little. "I can't wait to try it, then."

"Calleigh, this is amazing." He couldn't believe how good the food was.

"It's nothing." She brushed off his compliments. Macaroni and cheese is just easy. And vegetables, well, that's just season and steam. Some broiled chicken made it a complete meal, and she saved the fruit for desert. Her mom gave her the recipe, and it never failed to please.

"The bowl, though, that was genius." Calleigh had served Elena's pasta in a bowl, making it much easier for her to eat it.

"Ahh. Experience."

"How is it that you know so much about kids?" He asked her later after the children were in bed. "I mean, the pasta in a bowl, the dictionary. You always know what to do with them."

"I'm from a small town in Louisiana. What do you think I did for cash as a kid?"

He just shrugged and kissed her.

"You are talking to Calleigh Duquesne, babysitter extraordinaire. I think I babysat for every kid in Darnell by the time I went off to college."

"Really?" He'd never really considered her to be the babysitting type.

"It's a small town. Not much else to do for cash."

"You're amazing with them, you know that?"

"They're great kids." She deflected.

"Oh, no." He jumped up and dashed down the hall, returning a moment later with Pablo. "We forgot to ask you something."

"Go ahead." He urged.

"Calleigh." Pablo began. "My class is doing a project."

"Oh, yeah?"

"We have music, food, and parents can come."

"Oh. That sounds nice." She glanced at Eric, but he wasn't looking at her.

"My mom can not come, but Eric said he will."

"That's nice, honey." She knew what was coming, and waited patiently for him to work up the nerve.

"Will you come, too?"

"Oh, really?" She gushed, hugging him tightly. "Pablo, of course I'll come. I'd be honored. Thank you, sweetie."

"You will?" He wasn't sure if he'd really expected her to agree or not.

"Just tell me when, and I'll be there."

"Thank you!" He kissed her cheek sloppily and hugged her back.

"You're welcome, darlin'. Now get some sleep. You have school tomorrow."

"Okay." He scampered off back to bed as Eric pulled her to her feet and danced her around the living room. "Thank you. He was so worried about asking you."

"I'd do anything for them, you know that."

"I know." He stopped them and kissed her soundly. "Calleigh, I just…I'm so thankful to you for everything you've been doing for me."

"Eric, please stop thanking me all the time." She rested her cheek against his chest, finding this position to be more than adequate at relaxing away all her tension. "You guys are important to me. All of you."

"Do you wanna stay tonight?" He prayed she'd agree. There was no way he could bear to let go of her yet. He'd held onto Elena for a good twenty minutes before he'd put her down for bed, the memory of the little girl from his case that day haunting him still.

"Yeah. I do."

"Do you need something to sleep in again?" He'd loaned her a pair of boxers and a tee shirt the night before, and he swallowed hard whenever he remembered the way his shirt hung down close to her knees, how cute she looked in his clothes.

"I actually brought stuff with me." She admitted shyly, a little embarrassed.

"It's late. Do you want me to go get it?" He lived in a safe neighborhood, but he after the day he'd have, after everything he's seen, he just wasn't willing to take any risks. The patrol car was still parked across the street, but he couldn't be too careful.

"Eric, I…"

"Please, Cal. Just tell me where it is."

"Work clothes are hanging in the back, bag's in the trunk." She fished her keys out of her purse and handed them to him. "Thank you."

She grabbed the blankets and pillows from the night before, and made a nest on the floor. There would be an argument, but she'd take the floor tonight.

"I'll just hang this in the closet." He breezed back inside, features softening the moment he spotted Calleigh lounging comfortable on his sofa. She looked so right, so in place in his home. In his life. He realized that he'd been waiting his entire life for this. This feeling, the vision. This picture. This life.

"I was thinking." Calleigh started as he settled behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "It's going to be warm tomorrow. If you don't have plans, I have an idea."

"I don't have plans, Cal. What do you have in mind?"

"Let's take them out tomorrow. Let them have some fun."

"You have some place in mind?"

"Yeah."

________________________________________________________

Eric lounged in the Adirondack chair by the fountain and reached out for Calleigh's hand. The two of them sat back and watched as Pablo and Elena ran and played in the fountain, laughing like children without a care in the world. The weights had been lifted from Pablo's shoulders, and he was just a kid again. The burdens of before seemingly evaporated as he relaxed and realized that Eric and Calleigh would care for both of them,; Elena was no longer solely his responsibility. Just like a carefree and mischievous big brother, he positioned his little sister in just the right place to get blasted by a stream of water, then laughed as she screeched when it hit her.

"Did you see that?" Calleigh laughed as Elena came running toward her. Grabbing the towel, she held it up and wrapped the girl in it with a big hug. "Are you having fun, honey?"

"Yes." She bubbled before dashing back into the fountain to play.

They continued to watch as the children befriended other kids and played games, chasing each other and laughing.

"This was a great idea, Calleigh. Thank you." He loved the happy looks on their faces. "It's so good to see them like this."

"Let's get ice cream." He decided suddenly.

"That sounds nice."

"Pablo, Elena!" Eric rose and called the children. "Come on, guys. Time to go."

With resounding groans, they came, wrapped in their towels.

"Let's get you changed, honey." Calleigh helped Elena slip on her sandals and led her toward the public restrooms to change into dry clothes. She dried her off, and changed her into the sundress she'd packed, then dressed the wound. "And here we go!" She grabbed a sticker from her purse and placed it over the fresh gauze. She combed out her hair, clipped it into a barrette, and sat her back down on the floor.

"Ready?"

"Uh, huh."

"Good girl."

They got their ice cream in bowls to make it neater to eat, and walked around the harbor. Eric relished the evening, the cool sea breeze blowing in from the sea cooling the night as it rustled around them. Caribbean music floated on the wind as the party-goers started tricking out, giving the evening a sort of carnival atmosphere that lifted his spirits.

"Her birthday's in a few weeks." Eric squeezed Elena's calves as she sat on his shoulders, tired of walking. She still wasn't quite back to full strength since the surgery, and tired quickly, but she was getting better. Her hands were still a little sticky from the ice cream, and he knew he'd need to wash his hair tonight, but it was worth it. She was worth it.

"I suppose you're throwing her a proper birthday party." Calleigh grinned at him.

"Wouldn't dream of anything else."

"Need help?"

"I thought I'd ask my mom if we could have it at her house. She has the space, people know where it is."

"Just let me know." She offered, excited at the prospect of throwing a party for little Elena. She and Eric had spoken about it the previous evening, and they both hated that they'd missed so much of the children's lives. They understood why, of course. They hadn't been orphans before. They'd had a family, a loving mother, doting grandfather. Still, it stung to think of the time they'd lost, the years they'd missed. Eric seemed to have resolved to make up for missing all those years, planning a summer vacation for them, dreaming of their futures. Their lives together.

"My mom will probably want to make the cake." He told her, having first hand knowledge of how amazing his mother's birthday cakes are.

"Whatever you need, just let me know."

"Thanks, Calleigh." He felt Elena slumping down as she got tired. "I think I should get this little one home and get her to bed."

"Here, bend down. I'll get her." He bent at the knees, and Calleigh drew her baby into her arms and held her close. "You're so tired, sweetie." She murmured between kisses to her temple. "You've had a big day."

"Is she too heavy for you?" Eric offered to take her.

"I've got her." She squeezed the little girl affectionately. "Maybe in a minute." Right now, she just wanted to hold the her little girl...forever.

_______________________________________________

A/N: That's all for now. R/R!!!!!!


	26. Sun, Sand, and Surf!

Author's Note: Guess who doesn't have a test until FRIDAY! It's me! In celebration, I'm posting the next chapter, then I'm going to the pool...with my notes. But, hey, at least I'll be at the pool, right? Okay. Don't sue me. I'm not getting paid. I don't own anything you'd want anyway, so it'd be a waste of your time and money to do so in the first place. School is good. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. It's time for me to catch some sunshine. I need a tan! Cheers!

_________________________________________________________________

"Calleigh, it's me. Pick up!" Eric resorted to calling Calleigh's home phone because she hadn't answered her cell. "Calleigh!"

"Eric." She sounded breathless. "What's up?"

"Are you breathing heavy?" He'd always wondered what she'd sound like out of breath. It was leading his brain into dangerous places, though, and if he didn't nip this in the, uh, bud then he'd never get off of this particular tangent.

"Went for a run after work."

"It's dark! Calleigh, that could be dangerous. There's all kinds of crazy people out there."

"I'm a big girl, Eric." She laughed off his concern, but it was still touching. The fact that he cared warmed her heart. "I can take care of myself. Don't worry. And it's not that dark. Dusk, maybe, but not dark."

"I always worry. And it's not safe to be out there at night alone. Pretty girl. Alone. In the dark. Easy target."

"I'm hardly a target, Eric. I'm trained in self defense, hand to hand combat. I can handle myself. And I live in Bal Harbour, y'know. Not exactly crime central."

"I know. I know." He wasn't going to win this one by sheer will or force. He'd have to figure this one out from a different angle. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize, Eric." She relented just a smidgen. "It's sweet that you…care."

"I always care, Cal. Never question that."

"I won't." Her smile widened at his words, but she remembered that he'd called for a reason. "Why'd you call? I mean, not that I mind hearing your voice, but I'm sure you had a reason."

"Oh, I found a house. I think." His excitement was palpable, even over the phone. "Will you look at it with me? Will you come and see it?"

"Of course." It was so sweet that he wanted her opinion. Cared about what she thought. She loved it. Relished it. "When?"

"Tonight?" This house was amazing; maybe a little smaller than he'd originally dreamt of, but still. It was beautiful. There was a big back yard with a nice swing set. There was even a plot for a vegetable garden that the current owners had made. Three bedrooms weren't his first choice, but he figured he could add on a master bedroom if he needed to. You know, if four bedrooms became necessary at some point in the future.

"What time?"

"We can't go inside, but I can drive you by it any time. I can pick you up!"

"Come on over." Her voice had laughter in it. He was so excited, and she found it adorable. "I'll take a quick shower and get ready. You still have your key, right?"

"Yeah."

"Just let yourself in."

________________________________________________________________________

Once Calleigh was settled comfortably and bucked into the front seat of Eric's car, she turned to look at him, his face fairly bubbling with excitement. She could see how happy he was, how thrilled he was to show her this house. She had an inkling about why this was so important to him, but they hadn't spoken about it yet. This relationship was too new to even consider going there yet, and Calleigh hated to be the one to spring the "where is this going" talk on a guy. Not because she was afraid they'd bolt, but because she hated the thought of having to commit. The odd thing was that the prospect of committing didn't frighten her as much as it used to. Not with Eric. And the kids. Craning her neck around to see in the backseat, she was greeted with wide eyes and smiles.

"Hey, there!"

"Hi!" Elena waved exuberantly at her, thrilled to see Calleigh. "I miss you."

"Oh, sweetie, I missed you, too. Both of you; all day long." She paused before turning her smile to Pablo. "How was school today, honey? Did you make any new friends?"

"Willy!" His eyes lit up with a wide smile. "Willy is my new friend. He sits next to me at school."

"That's wonderful, Pablito!" She patted his knee. "Do you have any more information about this project you have to do? I want to mark it on my calendar."

"April seventeen." He announced affirmatively. "Seven o'clock."

"At night?" She'd already whipped out her PDA to mark the date.

"At night."

"I'll be there."

"I have to talk about Cuba to everyone." He sounded a little apprehensive at the idea of public speaking.

"We'll practice until you get it just right." Eric promised him. "You'll be ready. Don't worry about it."

"Tía Clorinda says she will make food, too!" As much as this task worried him, he was just as excited about it. "And Eric is making CD with music of Cuba! Abuelo will send pictures, I talked to him on the phone at Tía Clorinda's house today."

"That's exciting, honey!" She was touched at how Pablo's family was rallying around him, but felt a little left out. Shoving down those feelings of jealousy, she put on a cheerful face and turned back around.

"You okay?" Eric didn't miss the shift in her mood. He never did.

"Yeah, of course."

"You know, I'm not much good at making posters and artsy stuff."

"Is that a peace offering?" She was supremely embarrassed that Eric caught on to her disappointment.

"Maybe." He grinned that cocky grin she loved so much. "Did it work?"

"Maybe." She heard his chuckle. "Yes."

"Good."

"What do you think?" Eric asked her as he unbuckled Elena from her booster seat and brought her around to stand on the sidewalk.

"Eric, it's lovely!"

"It's in a good school district, too." He was off, walking to one side of the house for a better view of the back yard, and bringing Elena along with him, hand in hand.

"See, there's a swing set!" He squatted down and pointed for Elena, then motioned to Pablo. "Come and look, Pablo!"

"Eric, this is so nice!" It was a beautiful one story home with a front porch that Eric knew Calleigh would love, beautiful landscaping and room for her flowers, and a garage. The garage only fit one car at a time, but he was prepared to park his outside. It rains a lot in Florida, and he didn't want Calleigh to get wet.

"There's three bedrooms." He grabbed Pablo's hand, too, and walked a little ways up the short driveway. Calleigh hung back for a moment, watching the three of them walk away together. The picture was so sweet, so she took a picture with her camera. She hoped the resolution would be good, and momentarily wished she made a habit of carrying an actual camera with her. Jogging back up the driveway, she caught up with them.

"Tell me more." She requested quietly.

"Three bedrooms." He barely paused to breath. "Living room with hardwood floors. Nice kitchen. Open, lots of light. Living room. There's even a study. I thought I could make it a sort of den or playroom or something for them. Something casual, you know? What do you think?"

"It's great, Eric." She stated quietly. It was suddenly all very real, and it hit her all at once. They'd live here now. Even further from her. That meant she'd see them less. Spend less time with them. Ignoring the hardening pit in her stomach, she forced a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "It's a wonderful house, Eric. For you and them."

"I want to put an offer down, but I have to sell my condo first. My credit isn't good enough for the risk of loan approval before I sell it."

"You must be worried."

"Yeah." He breathed out quietly. He was afraid. This was the perfect place to raise a family. Good neighborhood. Good schools. Good life. He didn't want it all snatched away because of some economic glitch and poor youthful choices.

"Will they wait?" She'd heard of it happening. "Hold it for you?" She hoped they would. He was so excited about this home, the idea of living here with Elena and Pablo. She knew how much Eric wanted a family, how much he wanted to be a dad. For a brief moment she considered praying to Eric's God that those people would agree to hold this home for him, and only him. That they would accept his offer and reject all others.

"Didn't ask." God bless Calleigh for having this knowledge. His realtor certainly wasn't about to help him out any. Perhaps it was time for a new one.

"Worth a shot." She shrugged. "Can't hurt to ask."

"I can't lose this, Cal." His voice was low and a little scared, and she knew immediately that she had to do something.

She was quiet for a second, then piped up. "Let me help."

"How?"

"That banker friend of my dad's?" He nodded. "Let me hook you two up. Maybe he can help."

"Calleigh, seriously?"

"Seriously." She affirmed, bending down when Pablo tugged on her arm to get her attention.

"Can I get the name of your realtor, too?"

"Tired of yours?"

"She's not exactly…helpful."

"I noticed." Calleigh dug around in her purse until she found her wallet, and then handed him a business card. "He's really good. Tell him I sent you."

"Remembers you, does he?" He raised an eyebrow, only half joking. The other half was pure, green envy.

"He might." She shrugged nonchalantly.

"I would." Eric smirked at her, all flirtatious and boyish. It made her knees weak. "I'd remember you." She just locked her eyes on his for a moment, grateful for the relative darkness of the sidewalk to disguise the flush that crept its way across her cheeks.

"Eric." She was embarrassed, but his honesty touched her.

"Calleigh?" Pablo interrupted the moment with a quiet voice.

"What's up, hon?"

"Elena's birthday is in July."

"It is?"

"My birthday is next month." He stated it very gravely, very seriously with eyes open wide. This was very important to him. He was going to be nine years old, and that was something one doesn't just mess around with lightly.

"Oh!" She stood up and raised an eyebrow at Eric. "Well, then I guess it's you we'll be throwing a party for, isn't it?"

"My party." He nodded proudly. "Eric says Willy can come. All my friends."

"Of course." She patted his hand. "The more the merrier!"

"I was informed that I, uh, got the dates mixed up." Eric admitted sheepishly. "We'll party for Elena in this summer."

"Well, it looks like we have a party to plan, don't we?"

"Sure do!"

Pablo looked between them with a cheerful smile. He wished his mother could be here to see his new life. Elena's new life. He missed her so much sometimes. Elena's heart was all fixed now, just like his mother always wanted. He was attending an American school, learning English. His family had banded around the two of them to help make a new life for them. Eric had welcomed them into his home and treated them the way Pablo had always dreamed a father would. Sometimes he felt guilty for thinking it, but he liked living here; and that thought made him feel disloyal to his mother, and he hated that. Her dream had been for the three of them to move to America, though, and while she wasn't here to witness it, Pablo was proud that he and his sister were fulfilling her vision.

______________________________________________________________________

Eric switched realtors the very next day, put his condo on the market, and resolved to do more for Pablo and Elena. He and Calleigh poured over his finances the next evening while the children played, sodas and calculators and papers spread over the kitchen table.

"I'm cancelling my cable." Eric announced holding a bill up like a trophy. "That'll save about a hundred bucks a month."

"Good." She nodded. "You're not going to have to join a homeowners association are you?"

"Nope." He chuckled. "Not that kind of neighborhood."

"Alright. What else've we got?"

"My phone."

"Eric, you kind of need a phone."

"No, no." Eric handed her another stack of bills. "I can cancel internet, music, unlimited texts. I'll just reduce my plan."

"Eric, we use that for work a lot."

"Well, I'll just have to find another way. That money can be better used to take care of them."

"That is so sweet." She said quietly and grabbed his hand. "Eric, really."

"It's just what you do." He shrugged, as if making all these sacrifices were nothing. "They're more important than unlimited NFL coverage."

Calleigh got an odd look on her face as she pondered his words.

"What?"

"It's nothing." She brushed it aside.

"Cal, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong." She faced him fully and smiled softly as she recalled their conversation from a few years ago. "It's just…I was right."

"You were right?" He wasn't following her words and reasoning. "About what?"

"I was right. You're a great dad."

Eric was stunned into silence at her complement. "Calleigh, I'm…I'm no dad."

"I'm sticking with it."

"Well, you are a phenomenal mother." He returned her praise.

"Now, I am definitely NOT a mother." She laughed dryly. "You are at least related."

"Cal," His heart wrenched. "You know as well as I do that genetics isn't the only requirement to be a parent. Hell, I'm not actually related to my dad, but, you know, he still stuck around."

"They had a mother, Eric." She reminded him gently. "I can't take her place. No one can. I don't want to try."

"Oh, my mom sent this over." He dashed into the kitchen and grabbed a manila envelope. "I need a frame."

Calleigh opened the envelope and her eyes misted immediately. "Is this their mother?"

"Yeah. My cousin. Her name is Teresa. I thought I'd put it in the bedroom for them. You know, so they can remember her."

"She's very pretty." That was an understatement, really. Teresa had been a stunning woman, and there was no doubt that little Elena got her looks from her mother. Pablo had her features as well, and Calleigh could see the ladies chasing after him in a few years. "And that's really sweet of you, Eric."

"Thanks." He knew what was on Calleigh's mind, though. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"You're going to have to fight off the boys with sticks when Elena gets older."

"Sure am." He sighed. "I may need to increased the size of my gun collection. And they just might need cleaned every time she has a date. That is if I decide to let her out of the house before she turns forty."

"Forty, huh? Poor girl."

"I prefer to not think about that right now."

"Yeah." She understood that sentiment very well. "You gonna let Pablo out before that, though?"

"Don't lecture me about double standards, Cal."

"Why?" She placed both her elbows on the table and leaned forward. "You'll let a boy have a social life, but not a girl?"

"Cal, it's an exaggeration."

"I know, but it's still an antiquated idea."

"Calleigh, I don't want either of them grow up. Come on, you know that."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I'll take a kiss, and we'll call it even?"

"You drive a hard bargain." Calleigh leaned enticingly across the table top, allowing Eric a great view that he tried to not stare at.

"Up here, Eric." Calleigh tipped his chin up and planted a fervent kiss on his mouth. "Am I forgiven?" She asked saucily when she pulled away.

"Maybe a few more will do it."

"You just let me know." Her eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Oh, I will." He assured her as he moved back in to capture her lips once more. "I will."

________________________________________________________________________

Calleigh and Eric both had the next weekend off. She'd already helped Eric clean his apartment from top to bottom, she'd even baked bread in the oven to give the condo a nice, homey smell. Only one person was slated to come by, but he really wanted to get the thing sold.

"Where do you want to go?" Calleigh pushed her sleeves back down and dusted the flour off of the front of her shirt.

"Go?"

"We have to leave if people are going to be here."

"Oh. Okay. The beach?"

"We'll have to drop by my house." She was already grabbing Elena's swim suit from its place on the shower curtain rod. "I don't have a suit with me."

"Not a problem." Eric called down the hallway. "Pablo!"

"Yes?" He looked up from his homework.

"Grab your suit, we're heading for the beach!"

"Beach?" His voice quivered a little. "Why?"

"Oh, hey, buddy." Eric squatted down and hugged him. "We're just going for fun. We'll play in the water. Build sand castles. Buy food from vendors on the boardwalk. Then we'll come back home. All of us."

"No boats?"

"No boats."

"Okay!" Pablo tore himself away and dashed down the hall to change clothes.

"I love it here." Eric said softly to no one in particular as he helped Elena pick her way through the sand. Pablo's inital anxiety was replaced with excitement once he saw all the people and families playing on the beach. It wasn't that he didn't trust Eric and Calleigh, but the last time he'd gone to the ocean, his abuelo had packed him onto a small boat with his sister and sent them off to America. Apparently, in America, you go to the beach for fun, too. Pablo may have been born on an island nation, but he lived in a small town on the inland, and had never seen the ocean until that day with the boat.

"Here?" Calleigh had already plopped down the armload of stuff she was carrying.

"This is fine."

"Wanna play, guys?"

Calleigh laughed as she watched Eric run toward the shore hand in hand with the children. Elena got nervous when they got closer, though, and ripped her hand out of Eric's and ran back to the towels. Calleigh smiled and held out her arms.

"Come on, honey." Calleigh picked her up and settled Elena on her hip. "We'll do this together." Elena clutched her tighter and tighter the closer they got to the water. "Honey, it's okay." She tried to calm her. "I won't let go."

Pablo had already mastered the art of not getting dragged under when the waves hit by the time they made it to the water. "Elena!" He called out happily. "Come on! It's fun!"

Calleigh carefully waded out into the water and dipped Elena's toes in the water, loving it when the little girl shrieked with glee.

"Here." Eric came over. "Give her to me." Eric settled Elena on his shoulders to keep her out of the waves while he explained how to dodge waves to her. After a few minutes, she asked to be put down, so Eric gingerly sat her on her feet and quickly grabbed her hand, just in case. Glancing over at Pablo, his heart swelled as he watched him and Calleigh count down and jump simulateneously to "body surf" a large wave. Even though she was only in water up to her knees, a particularly large wave knocked Elena over and she fell on her bottom with a squeal. Eric moved to pick her up, but she was busy rolling in the sand, a permanent smile pasted on her pretty little face.

Eric patiently waited while Elena got acclimated to the water, then they moved out a little deeper. Elena lost her grip, and her hand slipped from Eric's grasp. Before he could get over to her, a nasty wave sucked Elena under, tumbling her head over heels toward the shore. His heart stopped beating immediately as he sprinted after her, hands furiously fumbling in the murky surf and plucking her awkwardly up out of the water.

"Elena!" He cried, close to tears as he cuddled her close to his chest and patted her back while she sputtered and coughed. "Elena, honey, are you okay? Baby, tell me you're okay. Talk to me, honey."

Her coughing fit subsided, and she shocked Eric by smiling at him, eyes shining. "Again!"

Calleigh's stomach uncontracted when Elena stopped coughing and spoke. She and Pablo had rushed over as soon as they saw her get pulled under.

"She's okay?" Calleigh ventured carefully, noticing, and not for the first time, how deeply Eric cared for his small cousins.

"She's fine." He breathed for what seemed like the first time in hours, and brushed her wet hair out of her face. "She's just fine." He sounded a little surprised, but mostly relieved.

"Eric!" Elena was wiggling in his arms, trying to get out of his grasp so she could play again.

"Okay, hold onto my hand this time." He clutched her hand securely as he attempted to slow down his heart rate. Fear of your child, or cousin in this case, dying is apparently a really good way to give yourself a heart attack.

Calleigh moved over closer to Eric, craned her neck up and gave him a peck on the cheek. "I told you you're a great dad." She whispered as she pulled away.

"She could have died." He protested her complement.

"She would have been fine. She IS fine." Calleigh ran her hand down his arm and squeezed his hand. "Eric," She knew how much the incident was going to eat at him. "She's fine. She's not even upset. You're doing great."

"I should have been watching her more closely." He berated himself. This was not the way to prove to the courts that you're a fit parent. Nearly drowning your child, he reasoned, was a good way to have custody revoked, and that was kind of the opposite of what he was going for here.

"Shhh." She silenced him with a kiss while Pablo and Elena watched. "She's fine. You're fine. Let it go."

"If the social worker finds out about this…"

"She won't. Or he won't. Whatever." Calleigh cut him off. "After a fun day at the ocean, do you think that is really what they're going to want to talk about?"

She did have a point, Eric reasoned. "I suppose we should just make sure they have lots of fun, huh? Give 'em something else to remember than almost dying."

"Sounds like a plan." Calleigh chuckled at his persistence. "And, Eric?"

"Yeah?"

"Let it go."

"Yeah."

Eric tried to shake off the feeling, but found it very difficult. He watched Pablo and Elena like a hawk, hovering around them like a freaked out parent. Calleigh noticed his attentiveness, but kept her mouth shut. There are worse things than a parent who cares about his children, she figured. At least she knew they'd always be safe.

"Eric!" Elena called, wading out a little further. "Watch me!"

He felt his throat close as he rushed after her. "That's too deep for you, sweetie. Come in closer."

"Watch me!" She put her head under the water and "swam" to him.

"Calleigh, did you see that?" He called out joyfully. "Did you SEE that? She swam!"

"I saw." She knew how much this meant to him. "You're planning a swimming career already, aren't you?"

"Butterfly." He asserted. "Or backstroke. Have you seen her kick? I mean, she'd be great at the backstroke."

"Let's work on the doggy paddle, first, okay?" She laughed and hugged Elena in congratulations. "Good job, baby."

"We should probably feed them some lunch." He glanced at his watch. "Don't want them to drown because they're too hungry to swim."

"I brought sandwiches."

"You amaze me." Eric wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her close. "Thank you."

"It's healthier than vendor food. Cheaper, too."

"I'm still getting them Italian ice." He bargained. "We always got Italian ice when we went to the beach."

"Grape popsicles when they're sick and Italian ice at the beach. Got it."

"Sounds like you've got it." He grinned at her as he handed out the sandwiches. "Calleigh?"

"Yup?"

"Pie? You brought pie?"

"It's just a little something I whipped up." She shrugged. "I had a bunch of apples, and I didn't feel like eating them. So I made pie."

"I love apple pie." His stomach grumbled, which helped make his point.

"Well, that's good." She handed Pablo some carrot sticks. "Because there's another one at home, and I don't want to eat it by myself."

"That will not be a problem." He assured her, helping himself to a helping of fruit salad and carrot sticks. "And thanks, for this, by the way."

"No problem." She speared a strawberry off of his plate and popped it in her mouth, ignoring the way he swallowed hard when she did so. It was the little things, she realized, that made him so perfect. Okay, not perfect, but close to it. The way he freaked out when Elena got pulled under. The way he looked at her, like she was the only person in his world. The way always knew what she needed. The way he stopped whatever he was doing and helped Pablo with his homework whenever he had a question. Eric caught her staring at him, and Calleigh blushed a little.

"You okay?" He grinned cheekily.

"I'm great." She assured him. "Do you need anything else?"

"I've got everything I need." He shook his head. "Everything."

After lunch, Eric settled himself in the sand and helped the kids build a sandcastle while Calleigh lounged in the beach chair and soaked up some sun.

"Time for more sunscreen, Eric." She called out, glancing at her phone for the time.

"Alright, kiddos," He helped them to their feet. "Time for sunscreen. We don't want you to burn."

He stood back and watched while Calleigh carefully smeared SPF 45 on Elena's face, making her giggle.

"Let's get your back now, honey." She spun the little girl around, and applied the sunblock.

"Your turn, Pablo." She patted Elena's back and sent her back to her sandcastle, put sunscreen on the little boy, then squeezed some extra out into her palm. Eric's mouth went dry as he watched her slather it on her arms and legs. Then her stomach. She caught his gaze and sent him a sultry look. "Can you get my back for me?"

"Yeah." He croaked. "No problem." He took the offered bottle and squeezed a bit onto his fingers, kneading her muscles lovingly. "You are stunning." He whispered in her ear as he gathered her hair to one side and moved it over her shoulder.

"Eric." She cautioned. "There's people everywhere."

"I'm being good." He promised. "For now."

"I brought a Frisbee." She pulled away and grabbed the plastic toy from her bag. "I thought we could play."

"Great." He rubbed his hands on the towel and took the Frisbee from her. "Hey, kids, wanna play a game?" He carefully tossed it in Elena's direction. She didn't catch it, but scrambled to get it, then threw it to Pablo.

"Hey, Calleigh!" Eric called her direction. "Are you gonna play?"

"Sure."

They'd played for a few minutes before Eric heard his name being called.

"Eric? Eric!"

"Wha…?" He turned around. "Sonya! What are you doing here?"

"Took the kids to the beach." She shrugged. "It's a nice day."

"Yeah. Same."

"You're really good with them." She complemented him quietly. "They look really happy with you."

"Well." He wasn't sure how else to respond. "I'm really happy with them."

They chatted for a few minutes, but before she left, she pulled him down to her height and whispered in his ear. "Your girlfriend is really pretty. Don't screw this up."

Eric smiled a little embarrassed, and glanced at Calleigh as she played with Pablo, dumping out packed sand to enlarge the castle. "I'm trying not to." He admitted.

"Took ya long enough." She smacked him on the back of the head, just like she did when they were kids, then kissed his cheek. "Go back to your family, Eric."

"My…yeah. I will. You, too." He hugged his big sister and waved as she walked away.

"Good talk?" Calleigh noted his perma-grin.

"Yeah. Really good talk."

"Good."

"She thinks you're pretty." He nudged her shoulder with his. "And she said I'm doing a good job."

Calleigh knew how much his sister's approval meant to him, so she leaned over and kissed him chastely. "You are. And don't ever question it."

"You're the best." He whispered as they sat back and watched the children play in the sand.

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A/N: I miss living near the ocean, but my pool will have to do for now (not really mine. Just the pool at my apartment). Anyway, read and reveiw! And thanks to everyone who has been reviewing. You write such nice things, it makes my day.


	27. Viral

Author's Note: Thanks again to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I wasn't sure about it. I wrote it in a hurry. I promise this one was better thought out. The italics are past events, the...not italics are present. It might be confusing, and I apologize if it is. It just didn't work all written in the present for some reason, and this came to me as a good remedy for the awkwardness that ensued. So, enjoy. Or don't. But please review. And have a Happy Easter! (if you are of a religious persuasion that observes Easter). Happy Passover (if that is more applicable), and happy weekend if the other two don't cover it. Don't forget to do your taxes (if you're living in the USA)! And...that should do it. R/R!!!!

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"_Mr. Delko, please?" The unidentified voice over the phone requested. _

"_Speaking." Eric was a little irritated at being interrupted while processing a crime scene. Now he was going to have to go back to the Hummer, get new gloves. He'd just used his last pair from his kit, and…_

"_And you are the guardian for Pablo Palacio?"_

_At this, Eric's previous irritation vanished and was instantly replaced by deep worry. "What's wrong, is he okay?"_

"_This is Ms. Kowalski from Sunrise Elementary school. I'm the school nurse here. Pablo is running a fever and you need to come get him." She didn't sound all that caring to Eric._

"_I can't really come right now." Eric looked around nervously, hunting for someone who could take his place here. "I'm at a crime scene right now, and I can't really leave."_

"_Mr. Delko, someone has to pick him up." The nurse was sounding exasperated now. _

"_Does it have to be me?"_

"_Preferably." He heard the sound of papers rustling on the other end of the line. "You are listed as his primary contact. You also listed a Clorinda Delko, so your wife will work, too."_

"_She's my mother." He said dryly. _

"_Excuse me?"_

"_Clorinda is my mother, not my wife."_

"_Well, someone needs to pick him up from school. Really, Mr. Delko, Pablo is sick. Are you going to come get him?"_

"_Can I make some phone calls and then call and tell you who's coming?"_

"_That'll work fine." The nurse sounded annoyed as she hung up the phone. _

"_Ugh." Eric leaned against the back of the Hummer and sighed. This is not good. This is going to be a problem. His mother was planning on taking Elena to the zoo today, and he hated to interrupt their outing. Elena deserved a fun day. His father was busy. His sisters all had their own lives and their own kids. That left…_

"_Hey, Eric!" She sounded way too cheerful as she answered the phone._

"_Calleigh, I'm so sorry to bother you on your day off." He started apologizing before he even started the conversation._

"_What's up?" She sounded concerned. "What do you need?"_

"_I hate to ask you this, but…"_

"_Eric!" She sounded exasperated. "What's up?"_

"_Pablo's sick, could you pick him up from school?"_

"_Oh, poor baby. Of course I will."_

And that was how he got here.

"Hmm." Calleigh moaned a little, then sniffed and shifted positions in her sleep, nuzzling her nose into Eric's neck and tightening her grip on his shoulder. Eric grimaced as her nails dug into the soft flesh on his arm and carefully moved her hand so that if lay flat against his bare chest, and then covered her hand with his.

She was sleeping soundly, not that the dose of Nyquil he'd insisted she take had anything to do with that. It was his fault she was sick, after all.

"_Pablito!" Calleigh sat down beside the small, sick boy on the hard mattress in the nurse's office and stroked the back of her fingers over his cheeks. "You're burning up, sweetie. Let's get you home."_

"_Calleigh?" He croaked, throat sore and head throbbing. "I don't feel good."_

"_I know, precious." She helped him to his feet and slung his backpack over one shoulder. "Let's go home, okay?"_

"_Ms. Duquesne?"_

"_Yes."_

"_You can't take him anywhere." The nurse crossed her arms and attempted an intimidating stance. The effort was in vain. Calleigh wasn't really the kind of woman to be intimidated by a thermometer-wielding nurse._

"_He's sick." She quirked an eyebrow at the woman and persisted. "I'm taking him home, and putting him in bed."_

"_You aren't on the list, ma'am. You can't leave the premises with him."_

_Realization dawned on Calleigh finally understood why the woman was nervous. _

"_How about if I call Eric and let you talk to him?" Her phone was already out; fingers hitting speed dial before the nurse could respond._

"_Eric?" She didn't wait for him to reply. "Talk to the school nurse for me, okay?" She handed the phone over and sat down, pulling Pablo to sit on her lap. She gently rocked him back and forth while Nurse Kowalski argued with him over the phone. _

"_You may go." Ms. Kowalski finally handed her the phone with a huff. "I'll add your name to the list."_

"_Thank you." She shot a genuine smile, irritation now replaced by concern. Pablo was sick, poor baby, and she didn't like it one bit. She had anticipated this; he was being exposed to a new host of bacteria and viruses. New people. New children – a group of individuals not known for their stellar hand-washing abilities. He was bound to catch a cold or two while his immune system got acclimated to the new environment, but that didn't mean she had to like it. "Someone will call if he's still sick tomorrow, okay?"_

"_That'll be just fine." The nurse bent down and looked into Pablo's tired eyes. "You get better, young man, okay? We don't want you missing too much school."_

"_I will."_

"_I know you will." She patted him on the shoulder and rose to speak to Calleigh once more. "I got his homework and books from his teacher already. If he feels up to, maybe he could keep up with the material."_

"_Thank you so much." Calleigh helped Pablo out to the car and buckled him in. "I'm going to stop at the store on the way home and get some medicine for you, okay?"_

"_Okay." He was happy it was Calleigh who picked him up, but he still felt poorly._

"_Do you want to go to Eric's house or mine?" She didn't mind either way, but he was sick, and that meant she wanted him to be comfortable. _

"_Eric's house." His stuff was all there, and he felt comfortable there. _

"_Okay. You wanna come in or stay in the car? I'll just be a minute." They were parked outside of a pharmacy. _

"_Stay."_

"_Okay." She rolled down the windows a little. "Don't unlock the car for anyone. Sit tight. I'll be right back, I promise."_

_She rushed inside, grabbing chewable multi-vitamins, orange juice, tomato soup, bread, and grape popsicles. Eric would insist, after all. She paid, and dashed back out to the car quickly. _

_She drove in silence back to Eric's condo, helped him inside and ordered him to go put his pajamas on. _

"_Meet me on the sofa." She kissed his forehead and sent him to the bedroom. "I'll fix you something to eat. While he changed clothes, she hit the kitchen. Nothing soothes the soul like grilled cheese and tomato soup. It's what her mother always made for her when she was sick, and she planned on continuing the tradition with Pablo. _

"_Oh. Popcorn!" She grabbed the bag and turned on the stove. Popcorn and tomato soup was as classic a Duquesne cold remedy as V8 juice and Tabasco sauce. Pablo was still little, and not used to spicy food, so she figured she'd ease him into it. Baby steps. _

"_Calleigh?" Pablo called from the living room. "I'm on the couch."_

"_Be right out." She finished slicing cheese and put the sandwich in the skillet to cook. _

"_Here, honey." She handed him some orange juice and a Flintstones chewy vitamin. "Eat this and drink this after. It'll help you get well."_

"_Alright." He trustingly obliged._

"_Oh, and I'll be right back!" She rushed back to the kitchen to finish their lunches. "Do you want to watch a movie? Pick one out and we'll watch it."_

_By the time she got lunch set up on the coffee table, Pablo had picked out a DVD and was turning on the television and setting up the VCR. _

"_Hungry?" She handed him a bowl of soup and shoved a plate of grilled cheese sandwich his direction. "Eat up. You won't get well if you're not well nourished." _

_Pablo watched her toss popcorn into her soup with a confused look, but dutifully copied her, throwing some popcorn in his as well. _

"_This is good!" He exclaimed after tasting the surprising concoction. _

"_I'm glad you like it!" She rubbed his back comfortingly. "My mom always made this for me when I was sick. I thought you should have it, too."_

_His smile dissolved immediately, and Calleigh realized her mistake. "Oh, Pablo. I'm sorry."_

"_I miss my mom." He mumbled quietly. It was worse now that he was sick. His mother always took good care of him when he was sick, and he missed her now more than ever. _

_I know you do, honey." She draped an arm around his shoulder and hugged him. "Is there anything I can do? Do you want to talk about her?"_

"_Really?"_

"_Of course. What's she like? What did she do for you when you got sick? Is there anything I can get for you?"_

_That was how Eric found them a few hours later when he and Elena got home. Calleigh was slumped down on the sofa, feet propped up on the coffee table, and a pillow on her lap. Pablo was asleep, head on the pillow and tucked comfortably under a few blankets, bowls and mugs and fruit scattered all over the coffee table, and the end of __Lady and the Tramp__ playing silently in the background. Eric smiled at the sight, stooped and kissed Calleigh on the forehead, accidentally waking her up._

"_Hey." She stretched carefully and kissed him back. "He's still not feeling well, but at least he's sleeping."_

"_Is he okay?"_

"_Sad. And sick. He misses his mom."_

"_Yeah. I know."_

"_We talked about her today."_

"_Is he okay? I mean, should I have him talk to someone? A therapist? I'm worried about them."_

"_I don't know. It can't hurt." She shrugged. It's not like she had that much experience with kids. Or not that much experience in this capacity anyway. Band-Aids and soup she could handle. It was the deeper, emotional injuries that she was at a loss as to how to fix. _

"_I'm going to talk to Alexx and see…" He was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell, which woke up Pablo._

"_Hello?" Eric frowned at the unidentified man standing outside is doorway. _

"_Are you Eric Delko?" _

"_Why does everyone keep asking me that today?" He mused aloud. "Yes. I'm Eric Delko. What can I do for you?"_

"_I am Matthew Bates. I'm the social worker assigned to Pablo and Elena Palacio's case. This is a surprise inspection. May I come in?"_

"_Do I have a choice?" He grumbled as he stepped aside to allow the man to enter. _

"_I went by the school. They said Pablo was not there."_

"_He got sick. We had to take him home." Eric instantly disliked this man. "Check with the nurse. Hell, check my phone records. They called me, and I called Calleigh to pick him up."_

"_And you, I suppose, are Calleigh?" He turned up his nose in Calleigh's direction as he stared her down._

"_I am." She stated flatly, before turning away from him and directing her attention back to Pablo and Elena. Elena was busy talking about her day and patting Pablo on the shoulder. _

"_Sorry you are sick." Elena frowned at her big brother. "Get better now." _

_Calleigh and Eric smiled a little at her insistence. Her English was improving by leaps and bounds, but she had a way to go before she mastered it. _

"_Mr. Delko?" The social worker tried to get his attention once more. "Mr. Delko, I need to see where the children sleep."_

"_This way." He grumbled, walking down the hallway toward the bedroom. This was going to be a long day. _

_Calleigh got up and started dinner, leaving Elena to entertain Pablo. She hoped things went well with the inspection. Eric wasn't quite father of the year yet, but he was trying. He was trying so hard, and she prayed he got points for that. No one else would love these children any more than he was learning more about parenting every day. He cared, and that had to count for something. Right?_

"_Well?" Eric walked Mr. Bates to the door and paused before opening it. _

"_Well what?"_

"_How'd I do? You aren't going to take them away from me, are you? I did okay? Right?" The apprehension in his voice made Calleigh's heart twist in her chest._

"_You did fine, Mr. Delko. The children are happy, clean, well-cared for. I can't see any reason to remove them from your custody. I do want to see different rooms for them, though. I'll be back for more of these surprise inspections, but as things stand…I'll make a favorable recommendation to the judge."_

"_I'm working on that!" Eric rushed. "I'm trying to sell the condo, and as soon as I do, I'm putting an offer down on this nice three-bedroom house. Separate rooms, backyard. The whole nine yards." He paused as the rest of the social worker's words sank in. "And thank you! Wow. Thank you!"_

"_Excellent." He smiled for the first time since the inspection began. "Well, have a lovely evening, Mr. Delko. Goodbye, Elena. Pablo, I hope you feel better soon."_

"_Bye bye!" Elena ran to the door and grabbed Eric's hand and waved with her other. _

"_Good bye, dear." He patted her on the head, said goodbye to Calleigh, and left. _

"_I passed!" Eric swung Elena into the air and twirled around. "Calleigh, we passed!"_

"_I know." She kissed Elena first, and then planted one on Eric's lips. His use of first person plural wasn't lost on her, and she loved it. "I know. I'm so happy for you. Want some dinner?"_

"_Absolutely."_

_Eric felt like celebrating, and he knew he'd been remiss in his relationship with Calleigh. He loved the children, and he knew she did too, but he still wanted to spend some time with just her. Alone. His mother would have no objections to the kids spending the night with her, so as soon as Pablo was feeling better he'd ask. _

_So it was that next weekend Pablo was better, and he packed overnight bags for both of them, hugged them tightly, and promised to pick them up in the morning. _

"_Why?" Elena didn't quite understand why she was being sent away for the night; although she was pleased Pablo was coming with her. _

"_Sweetie, it's just for one night, I promise. I'm going to spend some time with Calleigh, and then I'll come and get you in the morning. I promise. Just one night with Tía Clorinda and Tío Pavel. They want to see you."_

_Clorinda bent down to Elena's level and pinched her little cheeks while she told her all about their plans for the evening. Eric knew they'd be in good hands, and be plenty spoiled by the time he picked them up tomorrow. Apparently they'd be eating all manner of junk food, watching lots of movies, and staying up late. His mother knew all right ways to a child's heart, that's for sure. Elena and Pablo were fairly bouncing off the walls with excitement by the time they were packed into the car. _

_He changed clothes quickly and drove to Calleigh's house, knocking twice on the door before it swung open to reveal a breathtaking sight. He let his eyes travel slowly over her figure unabashedly taking her in. _

"_Wow. Calleigh. You look…wow."_

_She blushed, and he loved that he could do that to her. "Thank you." She murmured bashfully. "You look great. Really." He looked good enough to eat, but she'd get around to telling him that later. "That's…uh…uh…" She sneezed. "Excuse me."_

"_Bless you." He searched her face carefully now, noting her reddened eyes and the tired lines drawn around them. "Are you okay?"_

"_I'm just fine." She twirled around, sneezed again, and grabbed her wrap and purse. "Ready to go?"_

"_Calleigh…" He couldn't do this. Not with her sick. "You have a cold. You have Pablo's cold."_

"_I'm fine, Eric." She protested, pushing him out the door and getting her keys out to lock it._

"_Calleigh, you're sick. We're staying in." He took out his own key, unlocked the door, and tried to pull her back inside with him. _

"_No!" She smiled, and pushed him back out the door. "We're going out. You made reservations. You're dressed up. I'm dressed up. We're going."_

"_And you look fantastic, Calleigh, really you do. But you're sick. You aren't going to get better by overexerting yourself."_

"_Dinner is hardly an exertion." She smirked at him. "It's sitting and eating. I think I can handle that."_

"_Calleigh, please." He lowered his voice and moved closer to her, encircling her waist with his hands. "Let's stay in. I'll order food; we'll watch a movie or something. Go to bed early."_

"_Sounds like a lovely evening." She teased. "But I know that's not what you had in mind."_

"_My mind can change." He nipped at her throat teasingly. "How about it? Let me take care of you tonight. You've been taking care of us for months now. It's my turn."_

"_Eric."_

"_Calleigh, really."_

"_Are you telling me I got dressed up for nothing?" She batted her eyelashes at him coyly, and noted when he swallowed hard. _

"_No. No." He choked out. "Not for nothing. You look amazing. You can leave it on. You know, if you want." He was already taking his jacket off and loosening his tie. "I don't mind."_

"_Well," She kicked off her impossibly high heels and sat her purse back on the hall table. "I suppose if you really want to…"_

"_I'll go out and get some food, okay?" He kissed her cheek. "Get changed. I'll be right back."_

"_Are you sure, Eric? I hate to ruin our first real evening together."_

"_Calleigh, it's not a ruined evening if I'm spending it with you." He grinned at her cheekily._

"_Does that line work on all your girls?" She teased him. _

"_I'm really just hoping it'll work on this one." _

"_Negative points for cheesiness, but bonus for actually meaning it." She sashayed her way to the back room to change clothes. "Get something spicy!" She called over her shoulder. "I want to burn this thing from the inside out."_

"_Be right back!"_

_Eric walked back in the door a while later with bags of supplies and food. "Calleigh, I got…whoa." Calleigh was stretched out on the sofa wearing shorts and a tank top and nothing else as far as he could see. "I got stuff." He finished lamely, walking further into the living room._

"_Great, I'm starving." She pushed herself up and swung her legs over the edge of the couch. "I'll get plates and silverware."_

"_Sit. Sit." He waved her back down. "I'll get it." It wasn't like he didn't know his way around her kitchen anyway. _

_So his perfect romantic evening got sidetracked, but he didn't mind. After they finished eating, he grabbed a movie, but Calleigh put the kibosh on it. "How about music?" She suggested. "Let's just talk."_

"_Talk. Yeah. Okay." He grabbed a CD from the shelf and popped it into the player. _

"_This is nice." She settled her back against his chest and grabbed the afghan off the ottoman. _

"_Yeah." _

_So they talked. And talked. They talked about everything. His father. Her father. Protective detail. Questionable citizenship. Her mother. Her childhood. _

"_Do you know how old I was the first time I had to drive him home from a bar?" She tilted her head up and met his eyes. He just shook his head. "Fourteen."_

"_Fourteen? Seriously? Did you get in trouble?"_

"_The sheriff was at the bar." She shrugged against him as he tightened his arms around her while she wove her fingers through his. "He knew. Everyone knew. But Daddy was important, so no one did anything."_

"_That must have been hard." He murmured against her hair, aching for her. _

"_It is what it is." She dismissed in the way that only Calleigh can. Then she sneezed again._

"_Here." He offered her some Sudafed. "Take one of these."_

"_Thank you." She swallowed the pills, grabbed a tissue, and apologized. "I'm sorry."_

"_For what?"_

"_Getting sick."_

"_It's my fault you're sick." He brushed his fingers down her cheeks. "I asked you to pick him up."_

"_I don't mind." She deflected. _

"_I know you don't." He tilted her chin up so he could kiss her lips._

"_I'll get you sick." She tried to draw away._

"_I don't mind." He kissed her anyway. "I'm bound to get sick. So is Elena. It's going to happen. Don't worry about it."_

"_People will talk, you know." She joked with him. "If you and I are always sick a week apart."_

"_They already talk." He reassured her. "We're not fooling anyone. They already know."_

"_They do?" She'd tried to be so cloak and dagger about the whole thing. "How?"_

"_Calleigh, we investigate for a living. There was no hiding this from anyone. Hell, Horatio practically told me to take you out."_

"_He did?"_

"_Yeah. Told me he'd cover for us. Take care of the department thing."_

"_He told me the same thing." She recalled his words from the day of the initial custody hearing. _

"_Looks like he's got our back." Eric nuzzled his face into her hair and inhaled once deeply. "You smell good." He murmured. _

"_So do you." His cologne was driving her wild, but honestly, she was way too tired to do anything about it._

"_You bought it for me." He teased her. "I hope you like it."_

"_Mmm. I do." She agreed, then coughed a little. _

"_Oh, do you need cough medicine?" He reached over and grabbed the bottle of expectorant he'd picked up at the store. _

"_No. I'm okay." She waved him off. _

"_Calleigh?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Can I ask you something?"_

"_Of course. You can ask me anything. You know that." She shifted in his arms a little. _

"_Do you want children?" _

_It was a little out of the blue, and the question caught her off guard a bit. "What?"_

"_Do you want kids?"_

_She was quiet for a minute, and he worried that he'd upset her by asking. "Eric, we're…something, right?"_

"_Dating?" He supplied._

"_Sure. Dating." This was supposed to be their first real date, but she'd ruined it by getting sick. "You have two kids now. I wouldn't be with you if I didn't like children."_

"_I know you like them. Love them, even. I mean, do you want kids of your own. Someday."_

"_I don't know." She whispered quietly. "I just…I don't know."_

"_That's okay." He reassured her. "I was just wondering."_

"_May I inquire as to why you ask?"_

"_I was just wondering if you ever wanted to have your own. That's all."_

"_Eric." She warned him. "What's the real reason?"_

"_I just wondered if you ever thought about having kids. You know. Together. If we, you know, if we got married or something."_

"_You wonder about that?"_

"_Yeah. Don't you?" He was driving her wild, brushing his fingers up and down her bare arm._

"_Sometimes." She admitted. "But then I think of them."_

"_Who?"_

"_Pablo and Elena." She coughed a few times, and then continued. "I would never want to do anything to make them feel like they're not important to me. Or you. I worry that if I…if we had kids they'd think they were somehow not important. Not as loved. Not…ours."_

"_I'd never think that." He pushed her forward a little with both a hand on each shoulder. "Never."_

"_I know. And I wouldn't either. But we have to think about them. You have one of each. I couldn't love them any more if I'd given birth to them. I don't feel the need for any more I guess." _

"_You're amazing." He was stunned at her words, but not surprised. "No one else…no other woman would…I mean…no one else would…I've never met anyone who would love someone else's children like you do. They're not even my children, but you…you love them. They love you."_

"_Children like people who like them. It's not hard."_

_He wanted to respond. He wanted to say something, but his throat was too choked up to get the words out, so he settled for "Let's get you to bed, huh? I promised you some rest."_

"_Sure." She let him help her to her feet, then dragged him with her to the bedroom. _

_He drew back the covers while she washed her face and brushed her teeth, then tucked her into bed with a soft kiss on each cheek. "Sleep well."_

"_Where are you going?" She caught his arm as he turned to go. _

"_Well, you're sick." He sat on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair off her forehead. "I'm letting you sleep." He reached over and switched off the light. _

"_You can stay." She invited him seductively as she scooted over and patted the space she'd vacated. "I know this wasn't quite the evening you'd planned, but it can end the way you wanted…" She trailed off a little embarrassed. _

"_Calleigh, I…I'll stay, but just to sleep." The voice inside his head was screaming at him now. _

_She heard rustling in the darkness and smiled even though he couldn't see it. "Are you getting naked in my bedroom?"_

"_Not all the way." He teased her as he slid into bed and reached for her. "I just don't want to sleep in my dress pants."_

_She rolled toward him and drew a trail of kissed up his chest._

"_Calleigh. Really." He stilled her movements. "Not tonight. When you're better, but not tonight."_

"_I don't mind." She assured him. "I know this wasn't the evening you'd planned. I can make it up to you."_

"_Mmm." She was doing miraculous thing with her tongue right below his ear. "I will definitely take you up on that offer. Later. Right now, I want you to rest. Just relax and get some sleep. I'll be here if you need anything. There's plenty of time for that later."_

_So here they were. Calleigh had finally fallen asleep, her head pillowed on his chest and shoulder, her hand splayed out flat on his chest while he softly stroked her skin and hair. He drew his fingertips over her arm, her back. The pads of his fingers memorizing the curve of her shoulder, the angle of her elbow. The softness of her skin. The way her vertebrae felt under his hand, ribs. He tenderly brushed his fingers through her long hair, closing his eyes to remember the way it all felt, committing it all to memory so he'd never forget the way this moment felt. The way she felt in his arms. If someone had told him four year ago that Calleigh Duquesne would offer to sleep with him – and he'd turn her down – he'd have told them that they were crazy. But right now, in this moment, nothing could have felt more right. The two of them, snuggled under the light blankets, legs tangled together and breathing in unison. And sleeping together, but in the literal sense of the word, not the carnal one. Or at least they would be, if he could get any sleep._

"_God, I love you." He breathed quietly, certain she couldn't hear him in her sleep. He didn't see the quiet way her lips angled up in the darkness. _

_It was a few minutes before he heard her soft voice pierce the quiet night. "I love you, too, Eric." She didn't need light to feel the way his heartbeat quickened as he digested her words. _

"_Yeah?" He asked. _

"_Yeah."_

_They talked quietly for a while, about all the little things, the big things. All the things that matter, and all of those that don't. _

"_I'm not sure if I want my own kids, Eric." She confessed with a whisper. "I'm not sure how good a mom I'd be."_

"_You're fantastic, Cal." He kissed her. "I've seen you with them. Don't worry."_

"_It's different, though, with them."_

"_No it's not. You love them. They love you. It wouldn't be any different with your own."_

"_I suppose." She shrugged against him.  
_

"_I'm not trying to push you on this." He promised her quietly. "I was just wondering."_

"_I've thought about it." She confessed. "I've thought about what it would be like, but then I look at Pablo and Elena. They're growing up so fast. I don't want to miss anything with them. One of each, you know? It's pretty perfect already."_

"_It really is." He did know. "It's pretty perfect already."_

"_If it did happen… not now, but later. In the future. I guess I'd be okay with it. I just want them to be more settled. More secure."_

"_I couldn't agree more. In the future. After."_

"_After what?" She rested her chin on his chest and met his eyes in the darkness._

"_After the wedding."_

"_The wedding."_

"_I'm in this for keeps, Cal." He brushed his knuckles over her cheek bones. "And I'm going to marry you one day. If you'll have me, that is."_

"_I don't think you're going to have to worry about that one." _

"_Good." He reached up for another kiss. "That makes this less awkward."_

And now he couldn't sleep, so he was just laying there in the darkness. Listening to her breath while she slept. Drinking in the way it felt to hold her. Kiss her. Love her. Be loved by her. As ridiculous as it was – and he knew it – a part of him was afraid of closing his eyes. He worried that if he slept, this would all disappear before he awoke, and he'd realize it was all some dream. A dream wouldn't be like this, though. His dreams never were, and he'd had some practice dreaming about Calleigh. What it would be like to hold her. To kiss her. To feel her slight weight on top of him while she slept soundly, wrapped in his embrace. The real thing was nothing like the wildest things his very imaginative subconscious could conjure up, though. It was better. Much better. So this had to be real. They'd get to the whole sex thing later. For now, he was the happiest man on earth. And that was how he knew this would last.

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R/R

Thanks for reading.


	28. You Give me Fever!

Author's Note: Is it summer yet? I need a break. Here's another chapter. I hope you like it. Don't sue me. And thanks so much to everyone who reviewed chapter 25!

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It took Calleigh a while to wake up the next morning when the golden slivers of sunlight peeked through her curtains and warmed her face. Drowsily she blinked her eyes open, a gentle smile gracing her features as she watched him sleep. His face was so relaxed, the corners of his mouth turned up just a tad, and his chest rose and fell with an even, hypnotic rhythm that would have lulled her back to sleep if she didn't have a full day of errands to run.

"I can hear the wheels turning." He spoke without opening his eyes, surprising Calleigh that he was awake.

"What?"

"I can hear you thinking, Cal. Did you sleep okay?" He'd felt her tense when she'd awakened, and that drew him out of slumber as well.

Stretches a little. "I slept great. You?" Drops a kiss to his chest, then kisses his cheek, mindful of the morning breath.

"Wonderful. You?"

"We did that already." She chuckled. "Hungry?"

"Not yet, and I'm still taking care of you, so you don't move."

"Mmm. Breakfast in bed?" She sounded a little skeptical.

"If that's where you want it."

"I don't like crumbs in my sheets." She admitted, and the revelation, while disappointing, was not at all surprising.

"Breakfast at the table, then?" He offered a compromise with a nip to her throat."

"How about on the patio? And in a minute." She shifted a little, adjusting, then stilled again. "I don't want to move."

"Are you feeling better?" She still felt a little warm to him, but it could be due to the effects of the blankets and their combined body heat. Eric was well aware that he generated considerably more heat than she did alone.

"I do." She assured him.

"Really?"

"My throat is a little sore and scratchy, and my head still feels like it's in a vice."

"I'll get you some medicine." He tried to roll away, but she held firm.

"In a minute."

"Comfortable?" He smirked a little, loving the way she was open with him. Honest.

"Very."

"You let me know." Eric was quite content to remain just the way they were, buried under the sheets and talking quietly. She dozed off again after a few minutes, and Eric took that as an opportunity to slip out of bed and prepare their breakfast. Her refrigerator was basically empty since she'd been spending all of her time at his house. He found some apples and a few oranges in the back of her produce drawer, a can of concentrated orange juice in the freezer, and a loaf of bread. That left fruit and toast. Simple, most likely unsatisfying for him, but it seemed like the sort of healthy breakfast that she would like, so he fixed it. Carefully arranging the sliced apples and sectioned oranges on a plate, he considered fixing a pot of coffee, but opted for tea instead. He vaguely remembered hearing Calleigh talk about drinking hot tea for her sore throat. Snipping a flower from her lovely garden, he slipped it in a juice glass and set it on the table out back.

Tiptoeing into the bedroom, he gingerly lowered himself onto the mattress and leaned over to kiss her forehead.

"Calleigh." He whispered, covering her face with feather-light kisses. "Calleigh, I made breakfast. It's getting cold."

She didn't respond verbally, rather wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and breathed him in with a deep sigh.

"Are you up?" He nipped at the sensitive skin below her ear.

"I'm up." She assured.

"I made breakfast. You hungry?"

"I have food?" He had to laugh at this.

"Not much, but I managed."

"Let me grab a robe." She rolled out of bed and smiled as he held the silken garment for her to slip on. "Patio?" She slipped her arm into his smiled up at him, the last vestiges of sleep clinging stubbornly to her still slightly fuzzy brain.

"You did all this?" She reached up on tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"It's just toast and tea, Cal. No big deal." He pulled out her chair for her.

"You're sweet." She left it at that and took a sip of tea, eyes widening as the honey and lemon hit her taste buds and soothed her scratchy throat. "I can't believe you remembered."

He chose not to comment because the only thing he could come up with sounded too cheesy, but he felt the tinge of a blush color his cheeks. Of course he remembered. He remembered everything about her. Everything she said. What she liked. What she didn't like. How she took her coffee. Tea. Pizza. Movies. Books. He even knew what motor oil she used for her car. Mundane, yes? But truthful nonetheless. In the past seven years he'd taken it upon himself to learn everything about her. It started out as just being a good friend. He could feel sadness in her, and he tried to inconspicuously dig it out of her. Piece it together. Piece her together. He'd learned about her father, and the toll his alcoholism had taken on her childhood. Even as an adult she was not yet immune to her father's not infrequent binges. She rarely mentioned her mother, and Eric suspected there was no small sum of grief there. Still, something else lurked beneath the surface of her cheerful disposition. He was determined to dig it out now that they were together. Progress had been made in the past few weeks, especially last night. To an outsider, it wouldn't seem like a big deal, but it was to him. He'd gotten Calleigh to admit to being sick. She told him how she felt, how the cold was affecting her. When she was tired. That meant she trusted him, and he felt elated. It was one thing for her to trust him with her life at work. She knew he had her back. He'd watch out for her, take care of her, and she'd do the same for him. Occasionally she'd let snippets of herself squeeze through the cracks, and he dutifully catalogued those pearls and committed them to memory.

"Are you feeling better?" He tried to change the subject, knowing that she'd see right through him. Know what he was thinking. Feeling.

"I am." She assured him. "The tea is helping. And the meds."

"Good."

"Thanks for this." She nodded to the empty plate in front of her.

"No problem." He leaned back in the chair and surveyed the backyard. "Do you need anything else?"

"No. I'm good."

"I want you to rest today." He stood and cleared the plates and glasses. "I have to pick up the kids, but you…" He paused for effect. "You rest! No working."

"Eric, I have a million things to do today."

"Like what?"

She followed him into the kitchen and leaned against the counter top. "I need groceries. I have to do laundry. I have a ton of stuff to take to the dry cleaners. I need to clean my house, weed the back garden. And my car hasn't been washed in months."

"I can take care of all of that." Eric murmured as he moved in close to her, one hand on each hip.

"Eric, I…" She was tired. She felt like curling up into a ball and sleeping for days.

"Look, give me your dry cleaning, I'll drop it off. Give me a list, I'll go to the store after I pick up the kids. We can wash your car for you. I…I forgot the rest." He admitted sheepishly.

"You don't need to do all that." She rested her head on his chest.

"What if I want to?"

"No. It's a weekend. Take the kids to the park. The beach. The…I don't know. Take them to the aquarium."

"We'll do the aquarium next week." He brushed her hair behind her neck and tightened his arms around her. "When you're better. Today we're taking care of you."

"You did that last night." She protested.

"And it continues today. I've got to get going. I told my mom I'd pick them up at nine."

"Okay."

"You take a nap or something." He made her promise. "We'll be back. Do you have a list?"

"List?"

"Groceries."

"Oh. Here." She pushed him away and ripped the list off the pad on her refrigerator. "Let me give you my card." She started toward the hallway to retrieve her wallet, but he halted her progress, both arms encircling her waist.

"Stop that."

"Eric, I don't have the cash on me."

"You don't need to pay, Cal. I owe you way more than this anyway. All the stuff you've done for me. Pablo. Elena. I can cover this."

"Eric."

"No arguing." He silenced her with a kiss. "I've got this."

"Okay." She acquiesced.

"I'll be back." He promised, slipping his shoes on.

"Give them a hug for me." She requested.

"Always."

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He drove to his mother's house, surprised at the conspicuous lack of traffic on the streets at this time on a Saturday morning. Elena was thrilled to see him, but shockingly reluctant to leave her Tía Clorinda. Apparently his mother's plan to spoil them rotten worked, because Eric found himself nearly resorting to ice cream to bribe the two of them away from the source of the candy and cookies.

"Where's Calleigh?" Elena piped up as he buckled her into her booster seat.

"At home napping. She doesn't feel well today."

"Is she sick?"

"Just a cold, baby girl." He caressed her cheek gently. "She'll be fine."

"Mami was sick." She said quietly, eyes wide and solemn, and Eric understood her concern.

"Oh, guys. Listen." He felt his heart twinge as he sat on the edge of the backseat to talk. "Calleigh just has a cold. Like the cold Pablo had earlier this week. Remember?" They both nodded. "She'll be just fine, I promise. We're even going to visit her today, so you can see for yourself, okay?" They nodded their assent, but Eric could clearly see the skepticism in their eyes.

"How about the park?" He bargained. "Want to go to the park?"

"No." Elena shook her head stubbornly. "I want Calleigh."

"She's resting. We'll visit her later. We also need to run some errands for her."

"What means "errands"?" Pablo questioned.

"Oh, we need to do some things for her today. I have to drop off her clothes at the dry cleaner. We need to buy her some groceries. Then we have stuff to do for her at her house, okay?"

"Okay."

He passed the cleaners on the way to Bal Harbour, so he stopped and took care of that.

"That park!" Elena and Pablo cheered when they spotted the park Calleigh likes to take them to. "There!"

"Okay." He pulled over and parked, smiling as they sprinted from the car to the jungle gym. Locking the car, he smiled as he slowly made his way over to the benches. "Be careful!" He called as Elena walked up the slide the wrong way.

"I know!" She turned and smiled at him.

Pablo met a boy near his age, and they ran off to play together. It made Elena jealous, though, and she frowned and followed them.

"Who's that?" The new little boy asked.

"Elena. My sister." Pablo shrugged.

"What's she doing?"

"I don't know."

"Go away!" The new little boy turned and made a face at Elena.

"No."

Eric smiled at her insistency. The girl had moxy, he had to give her that.

"Go!" He took a step toward her, and Eric felt himself tense. "You can't play with us!"

"Pablo!" She cried out, confused. She'd never been denied the opportunity to play with her brother before. Well, not in a while anyway. The boys turned and started running toward something Eric couldn't identify, but Elena ran to follow them.

"Stop following us!" The red-headed boy turned and shoved her to the ground. "Go away!"

Elena sat, stunned for a second, staring wide-eyed at her offender, then at Pablo. Eric was on his feet reflexively. Logically, he knew she wasn't injured, but he was anticipating tears, and considering pushing the little boy down himself just to get even. Mature? No, but he didn't really care. If his little girl was going to cry, he wanted to get even. He was right, too, because Elena crawled to her feet and ran toward him crying.

"Pablo won't let me play." She sobbed into his shirt.

"Honey, it's okay." He soothed, hating that little red-headed boy for a moment. "Sometimes Pablo just needs to play with his friends, okay?"

"But…"

"How about I play with you?" He asked. "Want to play on the swings?"

She sniffed and nodded, so he held her hand and walked her over to the swing set.

"Why'd you do that?" Pablo confronted the new boy.

"Do what?"

"You pushed my sister." He felt righteously indignant.

"She can't play with us!"

"Why?"

"She's a girl." Hello? Did he really need it to be explained to him?

"She's my sister." Pablo shrugged.

"So."

"You can't push my sister." Pablo didn't understand. His mother told him to be good to his sister, and he always had been. She got on his nerves sometimes, but his mother said. So, he did it.

"Higher!"

Eric acquiesced and pushed her a little higher. The tears had stopped, and he was keeping an eye on Pablo and his friend. He had an inkling about what was being discussed, and he was very proud of Pablo for sticking up for his baby sister.

"Higher!"

"Honey, this is high enough." He wasn't sure he liked the idea of his little girl flying out of the swing and landing with a splat in the sand.

"Higher!"

"When you're bigger, honey. When you're bigger." She looked so small compared to the other children. Calleigh said she was small for her age, the doctor hadn't seemed concerned, but he was. Alexx said it was most likely due to her heart condition. Something about her heart not pumping enough blood and oxygen to all the muscles and organs in her body. Apparently it stunted her growth in some way. Calleigh had tried to console him.

_"So she's a little small." She'd shrugged. "She's healthy and happy."_

_"But if she isn't growing…" He'd protested before she cut him off again._

_"She'll grow." She promised him. "She's had her surgery now. She's all better. Give her a few years. She'll catch up."_

_"But if she doesn't?"_

_"She might be a little on the short side." She hadn't sounded all that concerned. "I'm short. Is it really a bad thing?"_

_"No." He relented. It wasn't. He loved that she was shorter than him. Loved it. He loved the way she fit under his chin when he hugged her or danced with her. He loved the way his hands almost spanned her waist. How light she was when he picked her up. It wouldn't be the end of the world._

_"I'm feeding her more vegetables." He decided aloud._

_"And protein." Calleigh added as she tucked her head into the crook of his neck and snuggled closer on the sofa. "Builds muscle. I don't know about bone. Calcium?"_

_"Milk." He nodded. "Does a body good, right?"_

_"Right."_

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"Can I have candy?" Pablo pointed to a large bag of Now and Laters that had curiously been placed perfectly at eye level for an eight year old to find and then annoy his parents about purchasing for him.

"No candy." Eric frowned and consulted the list again.

"Can I have that?" Pablo pointed to a rather large chocolate bar.

"No candy." He reiterated.

"Tía Clorinda lets us have candy." Pablo crossed his arms and pouted, and Eric had a flash back to how his aunt had always spoiled him as a child. Then he'd gone back to his own mother and complained about the no junk food policy in her house. This was probably some kind of cosmic payback, he reasoned, for all the times he'd whined and complained about not getting candy.

"Can I have that?" Now Elena was joining in.

"No chips." He tried to hide the grin. The universe was having fun with him today.

"Can I have that?"

He had to roll his eyes. Stupid universe.

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"Calleigh, what are you doing?" He asked incredulously when he walked in the door arms full of grocery bags.

"Cleaning." She stares at him like he's sprouted a second head. "What's it look like?"

"Cleaning." He assured her as he sat the bags on the counter. "But why are you cleaning? Why aren't you resting?"

"It won't get cleaned if I don't…"

"Sit." He nodded to Pablo and Elena. "Make her sit." He met Calleigh's gaze with a grin while each child grabbed a hand and led her to the sofa.

"Eric say you rest now." Elena proclaimed as she climbed onto Calleigh's lap. "Read me a story."

"I don't have any books here, baby girl." Calleigh leaned back and drew the little girl against her chest. "But I'll tell you a story."

"Okay!"

"Once upon a time, there was a very handsome boy named Pablo his beautiful sister, Elena." Eric winced at Elena's high-pitched squeal, but noted the way Pablo beamed when he was included as well.

Leaving Calleigh to her story, Eric retreated to the kitchen to put lunch onto plates. He'd stopped at her favorite Italian place on the way and got her favorite soup and pasta.

"Who's hungry?" He called as he sat the soup on the table.

"Me!" Resounding cheers were followed by rapid little footsteps. "Me!"

"Wash up, then come sit down." He directed them to the bathroom and wrapped his arms around his lovely, although somewhat feverish girlfriend. "You feeling okay?" He murmured into her hair.

"I'm fine."

"You're napping after lunch." He informed her.

"Oh, I am, am I?"

"You are." He sounded resolute, and Calleigh found she lacked the energy or inclination to argue with him. A nap was actually starting to sound very welcoming right now.

"Is that minestrone?" She tipped her head up for a kiss as he pushed her chair in for her.

"It's your favorite, right?"

"It is."

"Nap time." Eric herded Calleigh toward the sofa after she finished her lunch. "I'll take the kids outside and play so you can sleep."

"The dry cleaning…" She started.

"Dropped it off. It'll be done tomorrow. I put the slip on the fridge." He promised her with a kiss to her forehead. "I put the groceries away already, I'll weed the garden while they play, and then we'll wash your car for you."

"Thank you." She smiled that coy smile that made him go all melty on the inside and his heart skip a beat.

"You're worth it." He ran his index finger over her cheekbone. "I love you." He whispered as he tucked the blanket around her snugly.

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Eric was just finishing up weeding when he noticed Elena yawning.

"Elena, honey." He beckoned to her. "Time for a nap?"

"Uh uh." Elena shook her head stubbornly, but her yawn betrayed her.

"Late night at Tia's house, huh?" He chuckled and took her inside, washed his hands, and to put her down for a nap. Lifting her up, he felt her forehead with his cheek. "You're warm, baby." He murmured. "Are you getting sick, too?"

"No." Elena insisted when he put her down on the bed in the guest room. "I want Calleigh." She protested when he put her in the guest room.

"Calleigh's sleeping." He shushed her. "Close your eyes, then you can sleep, too."

She sniffed, but obeyed, closing her eyes dutifully and rolling onto her side.

______________________________________________________________________

"Wanna swim, Pablo?" He poked his head out the back door.

"Yea!"

"Let's go change, but we've gotta be quiet. Calleigh and Elena are sleeping. They're both sick."

"Are they sick because of me?"

They were, but he didn't want to make him feel badly. "No, buddy. They just caught something, that's all. It could happen to anyone."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, honey."

"Okay."

They changed clothes and Pablo met Eric on the patio by the pool.

"I can teach you how to swim for real, you know."

"You can?" His eyes got wide and he beamed happily. "I can learn to swim like you?"

"No sweat." He jumped in. "Come on. We can start now."

Pablo was a natural, Eric was delighted to discover. Before their first lesson was over, Pablo had a fairly decent front crawl. He needed work with the breathing and the rhythm, but Eric was excited to see how quickly he caught on. Perhaps a talent for swimming truly ran in the family. They ducked into the house to dry off and change when Pablo started getting bored. Eric changed in Calleigh's room, then peeked into the guest room to check on Elena, but found the bed empty.

"Elena?" He called softly. "Elena?"

He searched the bedroom, but found no Elena. A passing glance at the sofa caught his eye, and he paused to take a second look. There she was. Little Elena was snuggled up with Calleigh on the sofa under the blankets. She'd gotten out of bed after he'd left, made a beeline for the sofa, and crawled in beside Calleigh. He wasn't sure if Calleigh had woken up or not, but both of her arms were wrapped tightly around the little girl who was now sleeping soundly.

Bending over, he kissed both of his girls, brushing the hair out of each of their faces.

"Hey." Calleigh woke up, the startled a bit. "When did she get here?"

"No idea." He grinned. "Want me move her?"

"Nah." She shrugged. "We're fine. A little longer?"

"Sure." He turned to go, then remembered. "I got a call from my realtor." He smiled.

"And?" She prompted.

"Someone put an offer down."

"Eric!" She whispered excitedly, mindful to not wake the sleeping child in her arms. "That's great! Are you going to accept it? Bargain a little?"

"I'll bargain, but I really just want to sell the thing and get it over with."

"I understand that, but don't be too hasty. You might be able to get more from someone else."

"In this market?" He felt fortunate to just have one offer. He hated to gamble and wait for a larger one.

"We'll talk about it later." He whispered, kissing her once more. "Sleep." He ordered softly.

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That was Cultural Night at Pablo's school. Calleigh was running late. A case had kept her busy all day, and she was terrified that she'd miss his presentation. She had a stop to make before she could go to the school, so that put her even further behind schedule, but she managed to dash inside the auditorium right before his speech.

"You made it!" Pablo threw his arms around her neck. "Thank you!"

"I wouldn't miss this, honey." She squeezed him back. "Now go get 'em!"

Pablo hesitantly approached the stairs to the stage after his classmate finished giving her speech just as the alluring sounds of Cuban jazz floated out through the DVD player. Eric kept his promise, and made a lovely CD of traditional music.

"Cuba is a beautiful country." His voice faltered a little as he looked out over the audience. "An island paradise. I was born in Cuba."

Eric noticed Calleigh's eyes glistening with tears as she watched him, beaming for all the world like a proud mother. He shifted Elena to his other knee and wraped his other arm around Calleigh's shoulders.

She shot him a quick grin, then focused back on Pablo, but she could feel Eric's eyes on her.

"One of the mom's was talking to me earlier." He whispered into her ear after the applause for Pablo died down.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. She mentioned Elena."

"Are you going make me drag it out of you, Eric?"

"She said I should put her in pageants because she's so pretty."

"No." Calleigh dismissed it without even thinking about it. "Absolutely not."

"No?"

"Please don't do that to your little girl, Eric. Think about it."

"Bad idea?"

"Bad idea. Terrible idea." She assured him. "Put her in dance. Put her in soccer. Whatever. Just not that."

"Okay." He shrugged. If Calleigh said 'no,' he was willing to trust her. He remembered how Elena told him she wanted to be a ballerina. He could do that. "Where do I find a ballet club?"

"Studio." Calleigh corrected him. "Want me take care of that?"

"Would you?"

"No problem." She didn't mind one bit. "Want me get the ballet shoes and leotards, too?"

"Leotards?" He raised an eyebrow and made a face. "Definitely."

"I'm on it."

"Thanks, Calleigh." He paused and held his arms open. "Pablo, great job, buddy!"

"Thank you." He grinned wider than Eric had seen in recent days. "Did I do okay, Calleigh?" He frowned a little in anticipation of her reply.

"Pablito, you did wonderful. I'm so proud of you!" He wrapped him in a big hug and embarrassed him by kissing his cheek.

Embarrassed though he was, he eagerly wrapped his arms around her neck and hugged her back. "Thank you for practicing with me." He whispered.

"Any time, honey. Any time."

"What's next?" Eric scooted over and made space for Pablo to sit between him and Calleigh.

"Now parents go through and look at the posters. I have to be there to answer questions and talk about Cuba." He hopped off the chair, but stopped suddenly. "Oh! My merenguitos!"

"Here you go." Calleigh stood and lifted a large cooler. "Where do I put it?"

"Over here!" He scampered off towards his display leaving Calleigh to wander aimlessly as she attempted to find him in the crowd.

"I've got plates, napkins, and cookies, too." She unpacked the cooler.

"Polvorones con canela." Eric corrected her. "Cinnamon sugar cookies."

"Wow." Calleigh smelled them and closed her eyes in ecstasy. "Can I have one?"

"Just one." Pablo instructed very solemnly.

"I'll have my mom make you some." Eric whispered in her ear as she bit into her cookie.

"Pablo, will you introduce me to your parents?" Mrs. Mgabe requested.

"Cousin." Eric quickly corrected. "Eric Delko. And…" He wasn't sure how to introduce Calleigh. Girlfriend sounded too casual, and he was far too invested in the relationship to settle for casual.

"Calleigh Duquesne." She came to his rescue and shook the teacher's hand.

"Oh, you're Calleigh!" The teacher smiled warmly as she clasped Calleigh's hand in both of hers. "Pablo speaks so highly of you. It's wonderful to finally meet you. Both of you." She grabbed one of Eric's hands, too. "Pablo is a joy to have in class. We're so blessed to have him."

"Well," Eric was dumbfounded. None of his teachers had been able to say such glowing things about him, that's for sure. "Thank you."

"No, thank you." She actually sounded sincere. "He is so well-behaved. And so polite! I wish I could have a whole class full of Pablos."

"I…wow." He looked at Pablo, who was part beaming and part blushing from the high praise. "Well, I think he's pretty special."

"Oh, special he is!" Mr. Mgabe assured him.

"Why are you wearing that?" Elena piped up at the lull in conversation.

"Well who might you be, young lady?" The teacher bent down to talk to her.

"Elena." She smiled wide and reached out to touch Mrs. Mgabe's dress and head covering. "It's pretty."

"Thank you, honey." She patted her cheek. "I'm wearing this because, like you, I moved here from a different country."

"Really?" Her eyes went wide with wonder. "You live in Cuba?"

"No, honey." She smiled at Eric before finishing. "I am from Nigeria. Do you know where that is?"

"No." She thought about it and shook her head.

"It's a country far away from here. And this is the dress of people from Nigeria."

"I want one." Elena announced to Calleigh. "Can I have one?"

"We'll see." Eric chuckled, but answered noncommittally.

"What darling children. You are doing a wonderful thing here, Mr. Delko." She assured him. "Children are a gift."

"They certainly are." He agreed.

__________________________________________________________________________

A/N: I have to study now. Two exams next week. And the week after. And...

R/R!


	29. Perfection in the Dark

Here it is! Thank you to everyone who waited patiently and kept reading this story even though it's been SO long since I updated last. Finals are OVER and it is summer vacation. My very last summer vacation EVER! On the bright side, I am officially a second year medical student! AND, this has been the word's best summer, and it will only continue to get better! Do you know what would make it even sweeter? Reviews! (well nice ones). So, here it is. One more chapter to go!

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After much deliberation, Eric decided to accept the offer that was put down on his condo, but not after a little bargaining. He eventually got a few thousand more than they originally offered. In all of the hustle and hubbub, however, he did not forget Pablo's birthday.

"Elena, take that outside to Eric, will you please?" Calleigh handed Elena a pile of paper decorations.

Elena grabbed the festive decorations and ran outside to her favorite cousin. Eric was standing on a ladder outside of Calleigh's house carefully tacking up happy birthday banners and streamers. One of his sisters was directing his decorating activities.

"Oh, Elena, honey, give those to me!" She held out her hands and gave the little girl a kiss on the cheek. "I'll make sure Eric puts those in a good spot."

"When is my birthday?" Elena questioned with a frown. All of the festivities were exciting, but Calleigh and Eric had sat her down the night before and explained that this was for Pablo. Her party would come in the summer, and it would be no less fun, Eric promised her, but this day was for Pablo.

"You're birthday is in July, little angel." Eric climbed down off the ladder, holstered the hammer, and ruffled her hair.

"When is July?"

"Three more months, sweetie, and then we party for you. I promise."

"That's a long time." She said very gravely, and he had to smile.

"It's not so long." He squatted down and brushed her hair out of her face. "For now, do you want to help me decide where to hang this stuff?"

She was quiet for a moment before responding enthusiastically. "Pablo's day is today!" She smiled at Eric and he felt his heart melt a little more. "We're making the house pretty!"

"We sure are, honey." He grabbed another banner off the pile his sister was holding and caught the look on her face.

"What?" He straightened and questioned her. "What's that look for, Pi?"

"Nothing." She smiled knowingly and shook her head.

"Pi!" He warned with a frown.

"Just you." Pilar smiled at Elena as the little girl watched their exchange. "It's weird seeing you all paternal and stuff. But good, you know? I can tell you really love them. You're good with them. You're doing a good job." He was her baby brother, and this was new to her. Seeing him in a father role, all responsible and grown up; it was new. New in a good way, though.

She meant it, and he could tell. Pilar wore her emotions on her sleeve, much the same as him, and he had always been able to read her like a book. "Thanks. I do love 'em."

"I know." She replied simply. "And so do they."

"Good." That meant he was doing his job.

_________________________________________________________________________

Inside the house, Pablo was bouncing off the walls and just beginning to drive Calleigh crazy with his energy and enthusiasm. Still, it wasn't often that she saw him this excited about something, so she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Today is my party!" He chanted again and again while he jumped from room to room. "Today is my party. All for me!" He stopped bouncing long enough to take a breath and shot Calleigh a quizzical look. "Calleigh?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"How much longer until the party?" He was bouncing again. "When do my friends get here? What about Tía Clorinda and Tío Pavel? We can still go swimming, right?"

"Just a few more hours until your friends arrive. Clorinda and Pavel will be here any minute, and of course you and your friends can still go swimming!" Pablo rewarded her with a quick hug then bounced off excitedly.

"Lambchop?" A distinctive voice called out. "Lambchop, are you in here?"

"In the kitchen, Daddy." She answered with a smile. She'd invited her father to come tonight, but hadn't actually believed that he'd show.

"_Dad, it's good to see you." She kissed her father's cheek and surveyed his beverage choices. Coffee and water. "How are you?"_

"_Oh, me? Oh, fine. Fine." He pulled out her chair for her and took a seat himself. _

"_I took the liberty of ordering appetizers. I'm starving. I hope you don't mind." _

"_Not at all. What'd you order?" _

"_Okra and shrimp beignets." He pointed to the item on the menu._

"_Mmm." She approved. "Looks great."_

"_So." Duke prompted. "Tell me what's going on in your life."_

"_Well." She squirmed a little, unsure of how comfortable she was telling her father about Eric and the kids. _

"_Are you seeing anyone?" He had that look in his eye that let her know that he already had the answer. _

"_If you already know, then why ask?" She smirked at him._

"_Maybe I'd like to hear it from my daughter rather than her boss." He shrugged and sent the look right back to her._

"_Well you already know, so yeah. I'm "seeing" Eric. You know him."_

"_I do." He nodded. "He's a nice young man."_

"_Oh, good Lord." She breathed in exasperation. "I'm thirty four years old, Daddy. I know he's a…"_

"_Just because you're all grown up doesn't mean I don't care, pumpkin." He patted her hand. "I like him. When do I get to meet him?"_

"_You already met him." She countered. "Remember. That's how you know you like him."_

"_Well now I need to re-meet him. As a concerned father."_

"_Daddy!" Speaking of fathers. "There's more."_

"_You're engaged?" He reached for her left hand._

"_No, I'm not engaged." She pulled her hand away. "It's just…" She stammered a little. "He has these kids now."_

"_He has children? With another woman?"_

"_They're not his, per se." She tried to explain. "They're his cousins. From Cuba. He's getting custody of them."_

"_And you have met them?" He queried._

"_We've been introduced." She laughed lightly, remembering the pictures that now decorated her refrigerator, her lab, her locker. The happy evenings and weekends spent with Eric and the children._

"_And…"_

"_And they're great kids."_

"_Tell me about them." _

_This was easier than she'd anticipated. He offered up no resistance to the idea of her basically filling in as surrogate mother, and this surprised her. _

"_Actually, Daddy, Pablo's birthday party is next week. You're welcome to come."_

"_Come?" He questioned as he pondered the invitation. "His ninth birthday you say?" _

"_That's right." _

"_And what about Elena?" _

"_She's four. Turns five in July."_

"_I'll come." _

_She was skeptical, but agreed. "It's at my house, because of the pool, you know. At noon on Saturday."_

"_I'll see you then, Lambchop."_

Apparently he meant it, because here he was dressed in jeans and a polo shirt and seemingly ready to party.

"You look busy." He observed as he surveyed the kitchen.

"I am." Her voice was muffled because her head was stuck in the refrigerator as she rummaged around looking for…where it was…yes! "Lemon juice! I knew I had some."

"Can I help?" He offered with a chuckle. This was a side of his daughter he'd never seen before. Before he could offer, however, they were interrupted.

"Calleigh! Calleigh! Eric says we need more balloons!" Elena came sprinting into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around Calleigh. "Where are balloons?"

"Right here, honey." She strained to reach the bags, but was unable to with a small child wrapped around her. "Dad, could you?" She motioned to the clear plastic bags stuffed with yellow, red, and blue latex.

"You must be Elena." Kenwall Duquesne squatted down to her level as he handed over the balloons.

Elena responded by burying her face in Calleigh's side.

"Sweetie, this is my father." Calleigh caressed the little girl's cheek and hair. "Will you say "hi?""

"Hi." She turned her head a little to the side and smiled.

"Hello, young lady. How are you?"

"Good." She grinned at him.

"I have something for you." He reached into his pocket while Calleigh protested.

"Daddy, no. Don't give her that. We're almost ready to eat…"

Too late. He'd already handed over the candy. "Calm down, Calleigh." He stood after Elena sprinted back out of the house. "It's just a little candy."

"Eric doesn't like for them to have much junk food." Protest as she may, she was secretly warmed by his gesture. There was something tender about his interaction with the small girl that she had not anticipated.

"Where's the birthday boy?" He asked as he watched Calleigh expertly decorate cupcakes.

"Out back with Eric's brother in law and the kids."

"Well, I brought presents, but I left them in the car. It can't really be wrapped." He lowered his voice to barely above a whisper just in case.

"Daddy, what did you do?" She paused, decorating bag poised just above an unfrosted cupcake.

"It's the boy's birthday!" He defended. "I got him a present. And Elena, because she's just four. But her's is smaller!"

"You didn't have to do that." She sighed, and turned her attention back to the cupcakes. Eric's mother was bringing a cake as well, but she figured there could never be too many. Besides, if they didn't get eaten, Pablo could take them to school with him the next day for his class.

"I wanted to." He replied simply. He'd seen something in his daughter's eye the other day at dinner that let him know that this was but the first of many birthday parties to which he'd be invited.

"Well, do I get a hint?" She teased.

"It's not a surprise if I tell you." His little girl could never handle surprises. She'd always been all questions and curious when it came time for Christmas. He figured she'd found every hiding place he and his wife had ever devised.

"It's not a present for ME!" She teased him.

"Eric!" Her father boomed and changed the subject as her boyfriend entered the kitchen. "How are you, son?"

_"Son?"_ Calleigh mouthed silently to Eric, who just shrugged before responding to the greeting.

"Well, sir. Thank you. And yourself?"

"Just fine. Say, I just met your little Elena here," he poked Elena in the belly. "What do you say you introduce me to this Pablo I've heard so much about."

"Right this way."

"So." Pilar popped a grape into her mouth and sat down heavily at the kitchen table. "That's your dad?"

"That's him." She barely looked up from her work.

"And he's here today for Pablo's party."

"Looks that way."

"You invited him?"

"Sure did." This was getting old. "Something you want to say to me, Pilar?" She straightened and brushed the hair out of her face with the back of her wrist.

"Not really. Just…"

"Just what?"

"Your father is here for my cousin's birthday. Isn't that a little weird?"

"Weird how?"

"Calleigh, you know what I mean."

"He brought presents. You can relax."

"That's not what I meant."

"Well then, what did you mean?"

"Your family is attending these little functions now?"

"It's just my dad." Calleigh was well on her way to getting annoyed.

"Are you in this for the long haul?" Pilar cut right to the chase.

"I am if he is." She figured Pilar would know who she meant by "he."

"Good." Pilar smiled. She'd always liked Calleigh. If the past few months plus this amazing birthday party were any indication, the children would have a good life with her.

"Where's the birthday boy?" Clorinda poked her head inside the front door and hollered out her greeting. Pilar jumped to her feet and rushed to greet her parents, leaving Calleigh to finish up the decorating.

__________________________________________________________________

"I don't believe your dad got him a bike that nice." Eric commented later that night after the kids had fallen asleep and most of the mess was cleaned up.

"He, uh, he…it was very generous." He agreed, still a tad conflicted about how she felt about all of this.

"Generous?" Eric was almost levitating he was so excited. "This bicycle is amazing. It's a ten speed. What nine year old needs a bike this nice?"

"Pablo, apparently." She smiled. His enthusiasm was contagious.

"Did you see his face when he saw it?!"

"I did." She couldn't help it. It was fun to see Pablo so happy.

"And Elena!" He dropped onto Calleigh's sofa with a whoosh. "Did you see her with that new doll?"

"I certainly did." Calleigh gave up all pretenses of cleaning up and snuggled up next to him on the sofa. "It was a good party, huh?"

"Calleigh, thank you so much for all of this." He hugged her closer to him. "That party…wow. You really outdid yourself."

"Well, anything for my Pablo. You know that."

"I do." He kissed her forehead quietly. "And thank you."

"It was my pleasure. Your mom wasn't too upset about not having the party at her house?"

"Nah. You have a pool. She understands." She did, too. Pablo wanted a pool party, and Calleigh's house could accommodate that for no charge. It was a perfect arrangement and a perfect party.

"I'm glad. I was worried she think I was stepping on her toes."

"She just wants him to be happy on his birthday." Eric assured her. "No one is mad at you."

"Just checking." She shrugged, then yawned.

"You're tired." He observed. "Let's go to bed."

"Hmmm-kay." She sighed. She was tired. Two straight days of cooking, baking, cleaning, and decorating had worn her out.

"Hey, Cal?" His voice drew her out of a light slumber a few minutes later.

"Uh huh?"

"I…uh…I have to go away next weekend."

"Go where?" She murmured sleepily.

"My friend buddy, T.J., from college is getting married. In Pensacola." He started to explain. "I'd forgotten with all that's been going on, but the guy I'm riding up there with emailed me this morning. I have to be gone all weekend."

She smiled against his chest where her head was pillowed. "I think I can manage by myself for a weekend. I'll be fine."

"I…uh…I can't take the kids with me."

"Oh." She understood. "Do you want me to watch them for you?"

"Would you?" He kissed her.

"Of course."

"There's one more thing." He started quietly.

"Tell me."

"I'm supposed to be moved out by next Monday." She remembered. He was moving into his new house.

"I'm sure I can handle that, too." She nestled down under the blankets and sighed deeply when he tightened his arms around her.

"Cal, are you sure?"

"I think I can bribe Ryan and Horatio into helping me move the furniture. Plus my dad is still in town."

"I'll call my sisters." He promised her. "I'll have my brothers in law help, too."

"I'm not worried about it." She murmured quietly. "Do you want me to unpack stuff, too?" She had a tendency to be a little compulsive when it came to organization.

"Only if you want to." He assured her.

"I'll unpack the kid's rooms and the kitchen at least." She wanted to get the children settled as quickly as possible.

"Thanks, Cal." He meant it, too. She was saving him. Truly saving him.

"You'd do it for me." She barely got the words out before she drifted back off to sleep.

"You know I would." He whispered to his slumbering girlfriend. He let his eyes focus on the ceiling fan as it went around and around knowing he'd fall asleep soon. Before that could happen, however, there was a knock at the door.

"Calleigh?" A small, timid voice called. "Calleigh?"

Easing Calleigh's head off of his shoulder, he slipped out of bed and answered the door, opening it to find Elena sagging against the door jam.

"Elena, little angel, what's the matter?"

"I throwed up." She whispered, red faced and embarrassed.

"Oh, honey." He picked her up and glanced back at Calleigh. "Where, baby?"

"In the bedroom."

Crap. Now he was going to have to wake her up so she could care for Elena while he cleaned up the mess.

"Cal?" He hated to do this after all the work she'd put into the party. She had to be exhausted, and she deserved to rest. "Cal?" She opened her eyes and squinted a little. "I'm sorry. Elena's sick. Can you look after her while I clean up?"

"Clean up what?" She sat up and held her arms out to take Elena from him.

"I throwed up in the bedroom."

"Oh, baby." The storm he'd anticipated never came. She wasn't upset at all. She just put her cheek to Elena's forehead and felt for a fever. "Does your tummy hurt, baby girl?"

"Uh huh." She hiccupped and nodded.

"Too much sugar and excitement today, huh?"

"Nooo." She shook her head hard.

"You got this?" He kissed each girl when she nodded, then turned her full attention back to the sick little girl on her lap.

While Eric was busy cleaning and changing sheets, Calleigh grabbed some ginger ale and soda crackers from the kitchen as quietly as possible. Eric had moved Pablo to the couch when he and Calleigh went to bed. The judge preferred for the children to sleep in separate rooms, and that made sense to him. Pablo was getting older. He was nine years old now. But that just meant that Calleigh had to be extra quiet while she tried to settle Elena's stomach.

"Drink this, precious." She carried her back to the bedroom and handed her a cup of ginger ale. "Drink it slowly." _"I can't believe I'm giving her soda."_ She thought to herself, but that's what her mother had always given her. Mother knows best, right?

"It tickles." Elena giggled after she swallowed a few sips, and then took a bite of cracker.

"How's the patient?" He asked when he was done cleaning.

"She'll be fine." Calleigh assured him, and he received a cracker-filled grin from Elena.

"Are you feeling okay, pumpkin?" He sat beside them on the bed.

"I'm okay." She assured him, reaching for her ginger ale.

"Here." He reached his much longer arms, retrieved the beverage and handed it to her. He sat in silence while Calleigh fussed over the little girl. It was so normal and family-like. She was so good at this.

________________________________________________________________________

"What color do you want your room to be?" Calleigh heaved Elena onto her hip so she could see the paint chips at the store.

"Pink!" She pointed to a light pastel color that Calleigh actually liked.

"Okay." She grabbed the color and thought about the bedspread she'd picked out. "How about this pretty blue or this yellow as an accent?"

"Yellow!"

That was easy.

"Pablo, what color do you want?"

"Green!" He chose a darker green with navy blue and white accents.

She'd planned on painting the rooms that night with some much-appreciated help from Natalia and Ryan. That way the paint could cure before the things got moved in that weekend.

"You got paint?" Eric met up with her when he was finished picking out light fixtures.

"He's mixing it. It'll be ready in a few." She perused his choices and quirked an eyebrow at him when she disapproved.

"No good?"

"It's your house, Eric." She started to backtrack, feeling badly about throwing in her opinion at all. "It's your decision…"

"Come with me." He sat Elena in the back of the buggy, and urged Calleigh to follow. "Pick a better one out for me."

"Are you sure you want my input?"

"I've seen your house." He kissed her cheek. "I know you have good taste."

"That one." She handed him a classier choice, and replaced the other on the shelf. "It just goes better."

"Okay." He trusted her opinion.

________________________________________________________________________

Painting took longer than anticipated, of course. Things always take longer when wrangling small children, and Eric failed to factor that in. The rooms turned out beautifully, though. Calleigh and Eric had painstakingly taped out the designs the night before. She'd already made curtains for Elena's room; a fact which continued to amaze Eric. He'd never guessed that she was the kind of woman who was handy with a sewing machine. But there they were. Waiting to be hung in the room as soon as the paint was dry.

Pablo's room looked very nice. A good room for a boy, dark colors to hide the inevitable marks on the wall. She had the material to make his curtains, too, but they weren't finished yet. The kitchen was a dream. He loved the blue and yellow hand painted Spanish tiling around the counter. It was so bright and so very…Calleigh. She'd picked out rugs for the kid's rooms, art work to put on the walls. She'd even cooked up a few surprises of her own that Eric didn't know about.

Duke Duquesne turned out the be the biggest surprise of all. Eric had mentioned in passing that they were painting the kid's room on Tuesday after work. He'd shown up with supplies and food and little flower decals to put on Elena's wall, and handsome shelves to hang in Pablo's room.

"These are for your trophies and such, son." He'd told Pablo as he leveled the shelves. "A boy like you is bound to be an athlete, and you're going to have some trophies to display." He reached behind him and grabbed a shopping bag. "And to start things off, take a look at this!"

Inside the bag was a brand new football.

"What is it?" Pablo questioned.

"It's a football!"

"I don't…" He was confused, but Eric stepped in and explained the difference.

"Thank you, sir!" Pablo wasn't sure what trophies were, but he liked having someone believe in him and give him presents.

"Daddy, that was really nice." Calleigh whispered as she showed Elena the flowers. "And these match her bedspread almost perfectly."

"If they don't go, I can take them back." He whipped out a receipt and handed it to her. "The saleslady said they can specially make them if you'd prefer."

"These are perfect, Daddy. Thank you."

Duke looked down when someone tugged on the hem of his tee shirt. "Yes, young lady?"

"Are those for me?" Elena asked him with wide eyes.

"Of course!" He hoisted her high into the air and carried her into bedroom. "We'll put them here and here and here when the paint is dry."

"Pretty!" She squealed. "Thank you!"

"You're quite welcome, little lady." He sat her on her feet and patted the top of her head, shocked when she slid her tiny hand in his. "Are you Calleigh's Papi?"

"I am."

"I don't have a Papi." She looked sad when she said it, and he felt his heart break a little.

"Well," The situation had been thoroughly explained to him already, but still, he had no idea how to react. "You have Eric. He's like a Papi. Whenever you need Papi-type things done, you just ask him, okay?"

"Okay." She sniffed a little, but grinned just the same.

"And when you need grand-Papi things, you can always ask me." He squeezed her hand in his and stood up straight. It was easy to see why Calleigh was so smitten with these children. He was well on his way was, too.

Calleigh, unfortunately, overheard the conversation and was furious.

"What do you mean, telling her you're her new grandpa?" She cornered him later.

"Lambchop, the child was sad! I was trying to cheer her up!" He defended.

"You don't make promises to children you aren't prepared to keep, Daddy! Not to these kids."

"What makes you think I'm not going to keep my promise?"

"Oh, gee. I don't know! History? My entire life? You promise them things, then you'll start drinking again. And they'll be there. Disappointed again because you're not there. And I'll have to clean up the mess. I won't let you do it, Daddy. I won't let you hurt them, too."

Eric heard that exchange, and closed his eyes briefly. He'd never heard her admit out loud before that her father had hurt her over and over again.

"But Lambchop, I was just trying to help!"

"Well don't!" She fumed. "Eric and I have it covered. If they need a grandfather, I'm sure Eric's dad will be happy to step in."

"People change, Button." He told her sadly as he left. Kenwall never realized how his lifestyle affected his daughter. Clearly he'd done some damage there. He just hoped it wasn't too late to repair that damage and cultivate some sort of relationship with his daughter's adopted children.

"You okay?" Eric drew her head against his chest and rubbed her back soothingly.

"I'm so mad at him." She said through clenched teeth. "I can't believe he did that."

"I'm sorry, Cal." He whispered. "I'm really sorry."

"It's not your fault." She tried to push him away, but he held her fast.

"That's not all I was talking about." He murmured against her temple.

"He'll hurt them, too, you know."

"Maybe he meant it." Eric hated that he wasn't taking Calleigh's side, but maybe. Just maybe. "Maybe he did change."

"I'll believe it when I see it." She felt so guilty. She'd invited him to Pablo's birthday party, and look where that had gotten her. "_Serves me right."_ She thought angrily_. "But what about Pablo?" _

___________________________________________________________________________

"_God, I'm tired."_ Eric muttered to himself as he pulled the car into the driveway. He was almost too exhausted to even notice the wreath that Calleigh had hung on the front door as he trudged up the walk. He quietly let himself into his new house and flipped on a light switch.

"Wow." He said aloud to the empty room. Calleigh had been busy. Every box was put away, and everything was in its place. She'd even gotten him a welcome mat and an umbrella stand. _"That will come in handy in Miami_." He mused as he slipped off his shoes and toured the rest of the downstairs.

The kitchen was unpacked and put away. The dining room was a little bare still, but he'd work on that. The living room was impeccable. She'd even hung the art on the walls. He peeked in the pantry and smiled. She'd gotten groceries and filled his cupboards. His refrigerator was brimming with fruits and vegetables and homemade goodness that she had, no doubt, whipped up. Grabbing an apple, he flipped off the light switch and went to turn off the entry light as well.

He paused for a moment to contemplate what he saw. His mind had been too scattered to notice before, but four pairs of shoes were all lined up in a row beside the front door. His, then Calleigh's, then Pablo's, then Elena's. All arranged by size. It was perfect, and he wished he had a camera on him to capture it on film. Rather than take a picture, he opted to just look for a moment. It was odd, it occurred to him later, that something so mundane and simple could take on such an important meaning to him. He wondered if he was being overly sentimental, then thought of the small children asleep upstairs and decided that he wasn't. He had kids now. He was being just sentimental enough.

After a few moments, he turned off the light, and climbed the night light-lit stairs up to his new bedroom. He smiled when he noticed that Calleigh had gotten the children plaques to hang on their bedroom doors with their names painted on them. It was so homey. So right. He'd have to thank her for all the work she'd done. He was so looking forward to FINALLY having a night alone with Calleigh. A real room. A real bed (he'd bought a brand new king size mattress set). Real privacy. He opened the door and waited as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He was finally going to get to make_…"Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me."_ He groaned quietly. Calleigh was fast asleep, and gorgeous. The moonlight lit her face and set her golden hair afire in the dark room. She looked stunning sleeping there. So sexy. So gorgeous with her bare arms all wrapped around…Elena. "_Really_?" He turned his eyes up to the heavens and implored for an explanation. "Is this really necessary?" He'd been planning just the right way to wake her up, kiss her. Tell her how much he loved her. In all those plans, none of them involved children!

His evening plans were foiled again, but the sight was still stirring. She really does love those kids. He slipped into the bathroom and changed into respectable pajamas. This was far more clothing than he'd planned on needing tonight. Not that he wasn't happy to see Elena, but…

"Calleigh." He whispered into her ear as he brushed his fingers through her hair. "Calleigh, scoot over." It amazed him that such tiny people could manage to take up the entire bed.

"Hmmhmm." She murmured and moved a little. "Eric?" She seemed more awake now.

"It's me." He kissed her sweetly. "Thank you. For all the work you've done. The house looks amazing."

"It's no big deal." She whispered back. "I just thought you'd like to come home and see it all put together."

"It looks wonderful. You're wonderful."

"How was the wedding?"

"It was…well it looked expensive." He admitted.

"Showy?" She knew him too well.

"A bit. But very nice. The food was pretty good, too."

"I can't believe I missed you in a tux." She winked at him, and he swallowed hard and changed the subject.

"What's with the munchkin?"

"Oh, I have to wake her up."

"What?" He looked alarmed. "No! I'll just take her to her room." Maybe his plans could be salvaged.

"No, I promised her that I'd wake her up when you got back. She was very worried."

"Do you think she has attachment issues?" He asked her as he stroked Elena's long, brown hair.

"No, why?"

"Ben's wife said they might have some problems. That was one of the one's she listed."

"Well, let me assure you that this little one is very securely attached. She might have a little separation anxiety, but that's to be expected, I think, after all she's been through."

"She was worried I wasn't coming home?" His heart broke when he realized what Calleigh was saying.

"You were away for a few days." She admitted. "She got a little nervous. They both did. I have to wake up Pablo, too."

"Both of 'em?" He buried his face in Calleigh's neck. "I'm horrible at this."

"They love you, Eric!" She comforted him. "If they didn't love you, they wouldn't have been concerned. You're doing great. Just let me wake her up and reassure her that you're here, okay?"

"Yeah." He watched as Calleigh gently coaxed his baby girl into wakefulness, then winced as her high-pitched squeal nearly burst his eardrums.

"Eric!" She launched herself into his arms. "You're back!"

"I'll always come back, little angel. Always." He soothed. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too!" Elena had already moved on from worried to excited to see him, and she launched into a description of what had been going on since she'd last seen her cousin.

"Okay, okay." Calleigh laughed. "Let him catch a breath for a minute, huh? Why don't you go get Pablo, okay?"

"Okay!" She was already out the door.

"See?" Calleigh made room for him. "Very securely attached."

"I guess so." He loved how happy Elena was to see him. It made him feel very…fatherly. Pablo poked his head in the door and Eric beckoned to him. "Can I have a hug?"

"Yes!" Pablo climbed onto the bed and hugged his favorite cousin as well while Elena snuggled back up on Calleigh's lap.

"Now. Tell me about school on Friday!" Eric requested. "How did that math test go?"

"Oh!" Pablo ran out of the room with a huge smile on his face.

"What?" Eric asked Calleigh, but she just shook her head.

"You'll have to wait and see."

"Look!" Pablo proudly presented him with a piece of paper.

"One hundred percent? Pablo, this is fantastic! You aced that math test! I knew you could do it!" He hugged his boy like a pleased father, heart bursting with pride. "Did you see this, Calleigh?" He asked, even though he knew she had. "One hundred percent! He's a genius! Pablo, you're a genius!" He had a little engineer on his hands, he just knew it!

"Let's watch a movie." Calleigh suggested. She didn't really want to send the kids off to bed. It was nice to just spend time with them. They were both so happy. They were all happy.

"It's really late, Cal." Eric cautioned.

"Tomorrow's Sunday." She reminded him. "We can all sleep in late." He nodded, and she sent the kids off on an errand.

"Pablo, Elena, you guys pick a movie." She suggested. "I'll make popcorn."

"You hate eating in bed." Eric reminded her.

"I think I can deal with this once." She kissed him as she climbed out. "Help me get drinks?"

"Water all around?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"Of course."

The all climbed back into the big beg once the popcorn was done and settled down, fluffing pillows and adjusting until they all had just the perfect spot. Elena was sitting on Eric's lap, and Pablo was in between him and Calleigh, leaning his head on Calleigh's shoulder.

"Oh! Cinderella! My favorite." Calleigh approved of the children's movie selection.

"Me, too!" Elena smiled, thrilled that they had the same favorite movie.

Eric didn't' watch the movie much. He was busy paying attention to the scene playing out around him. Elena had fallen asleep a few minutes in. Pablo had followed her into dreamland not thirty minutes later. Only Calleigh was actually watching the film.

"Marry me." Eric burst out suddenly in the semi-darkness, taking her completely off guard and causing her to startle. Her unexpected movement awakened Pablo.

"What?"

"Marry me, Calleigh. Will you marry me?" He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life just like this. And for that, he needed her to marry him.

"Marry you? Are you serious?" She'd dreamed of this, true. More often than she'd ever admit aloud to anyone, but this seemed so…impulsive.

"I've never been more serious. I'm sorry, I don't have a ring. But this is too perfect. I know it's soon, and I know all the reasons why we shouldn't. Work. Stetler. We haven't been dating that long. I'm still getting custody…."

"Yes." Calleigh interrupted him.

"Yes?"

"You sound surprised." She teased with tears in her eyes.

"I'm just…wow! Really?" Now the tables were turned.

"Yes, really. Now kiss me." She ordered playfully, so he leaned over and kissed her.

"Eww!" Elena woke up when Eric moved and disapproved of the kiss.

"Elena, quiet!" Pablo ordered, a permanent grin plastered on his face. He'd witnessed the entire exchange, and he was thrilled. And a little worried.

"You really mean it?" Eric asked her once more.

"Ask me again." Her face was serious. "See if my answer changed."

He looked deep into her glistening eyes and repeated once more, "Calleigh Duquesne, will you marry me?"

"Yes."

The moment wasn't quite the same with the high-pitched squeals coming from Elena and the excited shouts from Pablo, but it was perfect. Everything was perfect.

"I promise I'll get a ring." Eric apologized again. "We can go tomorrow, even."

"That's fine, Eric." She kissed him again, earning more disapproving groans from the children.

"Eric?" Pablo asked quietly a few minutes later.

"Yeah, buddy?"

"When you get married, where will we live?"

"Here." Eric answered not understanding the question.

"No, where will Elena and me live."

"Elena and I." Eric corrected while the question sunk in. "Pablo! Elena, come here." He gathered the children into his arms and kissed them both on the cheek. "You're not going anywhere! I want you here with me always. And so does Calleigh, right?" He looked at Calleigh for confirmation.

"Of course!" Calleigh joined the group hug and reassured them. "The only thing that will change is that I'll live here with you."

"Really?" Pablo was a little skeptical.

"Really. I promise. We love you guys. You can't leave us now."

"We'll be like a family." Elena observed, then giggled when Calleigh and Eric simultaneously kissed her cheeks.

"That's right, baby girl." Calleigh kissed Elena again, and then Pablo. "We'll be like a family."

"So." Eric wrapped his arms around his beautiful fiancée a while later after he'd put the children in their respective bedrooms. "We're really getting married?"

"We're really getting married." She assured him.

It was funny, Eric realized as he lay awake later that night. He'd been so disappointed at first when he'd come into the master bedroom earlier that evening. But things had turned out better than he'd ever even imagined.

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A/N: So that's it for this chapter. One more. R/R!!!! (reviews make my day)


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